updated: January, 28th 2012
The purpose of the Soldiers’ Animal Companions Fund is to promote the welfare and rescue of animals in war-torn Middle Eastern countries where our soldiers are stationed. These animals have often provided immeasurable comfort to those serving in harsh and extremely difficult situations.
Unfortunately, in Afghanistan dogs are considered unclean by the Taliban. They may be used as target practice, blown up, run over, or starved. Their only value is to be used in dog fighting, a miserable so-called sport for which dogs’ ears and tails are cut off to enable them to be more competitive fighters.
The dogs who find their way into our soldiers’ compounds and into their hearts, are often left behind to suffer terribly when the soldiers must move on.
Through the SAC Fund we strive to help those animals who’ve meant so much to our troops. Actually their value for the morale and health of our soldiers cannot be underestimated.
The following excerpt from The National Alliance on Mental Illness helps illustrate this point:
According to the Army Surgeon General’s special assistant for mental health, Col. Elspeth Cameron Ritchie, M.D., the Army is using dogs “much more” to help soldiers recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Animals are not just cute,” Ritchie said. “They provide support.” The observation came at a 2010 NAMI Convention symposium on “Veterans and Military Mental Health,” focusing on the needs of returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other veterans |
Soldiers’ Animal Companions Fund is a Donor Advised Fund, administered by Charities Aid Foundation America (CAFAmerica), a US 501c(3) public charity that specializes in the responsible oversight of global giving, American donors may claim the maximum tax benefits allowed by law for their contributions.
The money raised through this fund will go directly to Nowzad Dogs Charity.
This is the British charity responsible for the rescue of these animals.
A registered non-profit charity in the UK (number 1119185) assisting with companion animal rescues from Afghanistan’ for more information www.nowzad.com
You can learn more about Nowzad and Pen Farthing, the former British Royal Marine who founded Nowzad Dogs by reading his book One Dog at a Time. 
From  MAGAZINE
In the remote outpost of Now Zad, Afghanistan, Pen Farthing and his troop of young Royal Marines survive frequent engagements with the Taliban and forge links with the local community. Appalled by the horrors of local dog fighting, Pen has no choice but to intervene. Then one of the dogs he frees finds his way into the Marine compound—and into Pen’s heart. Soon other strays are drawn into the sanctuary provided by the makeshift pound, including one young mother who crawls under the compound fence carrying her newborn pups to safety. As his tour of duty draws to an end, Pen cannot leave the dogs of Now Zad to their fates. He begins hatching plans to help them escape to a better life. One Dog at a Time is the gripping account of one man’s courage and humanity, and his fight to make a difference in the most hostile and dangerous environments, one dog at a time. "Kindness flourishes in an Afghan war zone, where British Royal Marine Farthing begins rescuing the starving strays nosing their way onto his compound. Offering food and love is a temporary solution, so Farthing hatches a dangerous plan to transport the dogs to a rescue sanctuary. Readers will come to know and love each mutt and to admire Farthing, whose caring doesn't end when his tour does: He now runs the Nowzad Dogs charity for animals of war."
Order the book by clicking here |
How to Help To donate online, click on the Donate Now button below and select “Soldiers’ Animal Companions” from the section titled “Contribute to a Fund at CAFAmerica.” 
To donate by check, please go to the DONATE NOW page of our web site (reference at the left) and download the donor form there. Please remember each check must be accompanied by a completed Donor Form. |
Click here to see our Featured Rescue Story