Former Royal Marine Paul ‘Pen’ Farthing is set to share a first-hand account of his high-stakes animal rescue missions at the Royal Seven Stars in Totnes.

The evening, held on Friday, March 6 at 7:30pm, promises a deep dive into the work of Nowzad, the charity Farthing founded to support animals and their caregivers in some of the world’s most volatile conflict zones.

What began during Farthing’s service in Afghanistan — when a single stray dog wandered into his compound — has evolved into an international operation with an annual budget of nearly £1 million.

Supported by high-profile patrons like Ricky Gervais and Peter Egan, the charity is funded almost entirely by public donations.

The charity drew global attention in 2021 during the fall of Kabul. As the Taliban seized control, Nowzad launched a privately funded charter flight to evacuate 171 animals and 67 people.

Among the passengers was special guest Ewok, a rescued Pomeranian who sat on Farthing’s lap during the flight to safety.

However, when reports surfaced that the evacuation flight had empty seats, some accused the charity of ‘prioritising animal rescues’ over aiding additional human evacuees, sparking a public controversy.

Nowzad stated that the flight's remaining capacity had been offered to the UK Ministry of Defence for human evacuations, but was not used.

Today, the charity’s focus has shifted toward long-term infrastructure, vaccination programs, and education.

Although rewarding, the work risks high personal costs for the team.

"One member of the team actually got kidnapped in Afghanistan," says David, Nowzad’s fundraising and logistics manager.

"There’s a lot of corruption we have to be aware of. It’s exciting work, but the risks are real."

Organiser of the Totnes event, Cathy Meredith, urges those interested to secure their seats by booking in advance using the QR code, as tickets are limited. Some tickets may also be available at the door.