Operation Ark
67 People. 171 Animals. Getting out was only half the battle.
August 2021. The Taliban invaded Kabul.
The British Government was “Missing in Action”.
The evacuation was disastrous, shambolic and deadly.
Pen Farthing refused to abandon his charity’s staff or rescue animals. Operation Ark was born.
He was branded a villain who valued “pets over people”, blamed for deserting Afghans, accused of risking British soldiers – nothing could be further from the truth.
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‘Pen Farthing is still angry. It’s understandable.’ Private Eye
‘Operation Ark was always about people and animals. Pen Farthing’s actions were nothing short of heroic.’ Ricky Gervais
‘Pen Farthing is a man who has the Commando spirit writ through him: he never gives up.’ Daily Mail Online
‘A compelling, vivid, and distressing account of what happened in those last days and a damning indictment of foreign policy failures.’ The Daily Beast
‘The most remarkable book. It’s exciting, it’s mesmerising.’ Peter Egan
Pen Farthing
Pen Farthing is an ex-Royal Marine commando, the founder of animal welfare charity Nowzad and author of Sunday Times bestseller, One Dog At A Time.
During the chaotic and unplanned withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, Pen was thrust into the spotlight when it was widely reported in the media that he was putting the lives of “pets over people”. The controversy embroiled everyone, from the Prime Minister to the soldiers on the ground.
His upcoming book, Operation Ark is the true story of what happened to Pen, his charity staff and the rescue animals. He had 14 days to get them all out, with no assistance from the British government.
Operation Ark is out now, and is available in paperback, ebook and audiobook.