I take my hat off to Johnsons for their love of animals.

2 min read.

In my post of 14 November 2021, I wrote that dogs would be brought from Afghanistan by charter flights. I did not mention stray dogs, which had already been brought to the country by air. In all there were 173 dogs and cats which were airlifted to the UK from Afghanistan.

 I doubt it if anyone would impugn my view that both the PM and his latest wife are animal lovers. Occasionally, we see on TV the PM in the company of their dog Dilyn, who is a white, male Jack Russell cross and was born in 2018. It is alleged that it was their love for animals which led the PM to give permission to bring the animals from Afghanistan after the Taleban took over the country. It was a simple matter because the Taleban, who do not care for humans, would not hesitate to kill the dogs. If they could not feed the fellow humans, it would be nigh on impossible to cater for the dogs’ needs. Indubitably, they would die like a dog.

Thus, under the circumstances, if the PM allowed the stray dogs to be air lifted to the UK by a charter flight, there was nothing wrong with it. The hoo-ha caused by the media was unwarranted. He and his wife should be awarded honours for this gesture on its own.

But I have one serious complaint.

On frequent occasions, I have watched on the TV the plight of donkeys in many parts of the world including Afghanistan. Either they are carrying heavy loads of stuff or pulling an overloaded cart using all their energy which they could muster. Sometimes, they transport their owners on their back from place to place. Sooner than later, they get old before their time and are abandoned. Their deaths are unpleasant and demeaning.

These donkeys deserve to be brought to the UK by air, even at the taxpayers’ expense.

The question is: Where should they be accommodated?

The answer is that it is not the headache of the PM or his wife. The civil servants stationed in 10 Downing Street have carte blanche to deal with such issues. The PM has complete confidence in them. He does not give a flying toss if they do their jobs when they are partying. They can even authorise that the donkeys might roam in the vast gardens of the PM’s official residence in Buckinghamshire, known as Chequers, which is about 1500 acres in extent.

 A few donkeys might be accommodated at the rear garden of 10 Downing Street, where a working meeting took place on 20 May 2020 during the pandemic, attended by the PM and his wife. Due to the media furore in recent weeks and days, which unjustifiably branded it as a Party, I doubt it if any further party initiative is pencilled in the PM’s diary to be held in the back garden.

 The civil servants can be advised by the PM and his wife to ameliorate the plight of the animals in Afghanistan. But the officers should be charier. One of the hypotheses is that despite the fact that they have permission in writing by the PM, he could say that he never had a hand in it. He might use the word ‘rhubarb’ or its synonym. I bet he would move heaven and earth to avoid eating crow.