Some of the animals will be reunited with their owners while others will be put up for adoption
Hundreds of animals stranded in Afghanistan arrived in Vancouver on Tuesday night, after more than six months of rescue efforts by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
A total of 158 dogs and 146 cats touched down at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) aboard a specially converted Russian Ilyushin 76-TD aircraft after stops in Turkey and Iceland.
SPCA International said partners in Kabul reached out to them regarding the pets when U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
The groups hoped to evacuate the animals to North America at the time of the withdrawal, but the volatile situation combined with logistical issues resulted in the delay.
“These animals have been on the plane for quite some time,” Lori Kalef, director of programs for SPCA International, said prior their arrival. “We had to reroute at the last minute due to the conflict going on in Russia.”
From YVR, the animals will be transferred to a specially constructed 1,600-square metre facility.
Kalef said about 66 of the animals will be reunited with their owners, while another two dozen will stay with the SPCA until their owners are able to retrieve them.
The others will be put up for adoption across North America.
Anyone interested in adopting one of the animals can visit the SPCA International website. Applications will be handled by SPCA International and the B.C.-based RainCoast Dog Rescue Society.
Treacherous rescue mission
In a statement, the SPCA said numerous pets were left behind in shelters when their owners fled the country following the Taliban takeover.
A local charity, Kabul Small Animal Rescue, had saved more than 70 dogs from Kabul International Airport and rescued dozens of other animals abandoned by owners when they were forced to flee.
Albino sisters born 12 years apart become modeling sensations
They may have been born more than a decade apart, but these siblings still have one remarkable thing in common.
Albinism is a rare genetic disorder that causes a lack of pigmentation in the skin, eyes and/or hair, giving albino people a unique look:
It’s very rare to have an albino child… which makes it remarkable that one Kazakh couple had not one, but two albino children 12 years apart.
Meet Asel and Kamila, the incredibly unique siblings that have turned into in-demand models:
Asel is the older sibling at 14. Her mother, Aiman Sarkitova, said she was stunned when she was born albino.
“When I gave birth to my eldest, genetics were not so developed with us,” she told the Daily Mail. “It is developing only now. The doctors were shocked.”
Imagine their surprise when, 12 years later, Kamila was born with the same condition.
It’s an incredible, striking sight to see these two siblings together—so the two teamed up and became a modeling duo.
Asel has already been modeling since she was 10, but with her 2-year-old sister at her side she’s become even more in-demand. The pair have over 33,000 followers on Instagram.
While their albinism has led to big success, it’s not always easy. The condition is also associated with medical conditions like a sensitivity to sunlight.
“If I go outside in the afternoon, then I definitely apply sunscreen, put on clothes to protect my skin, headgear or use an umbrella,” Asel said.
“In the evening, when there is almost no sun, it’s much easier for me.”
But through whatever ups and downs life throws at them, they’ll always have each other.
The condition is so rare that albino people can feel alone, but these two sisters are lucky that they’ll always have a family member just like them.
And hopefully, their success as models will shed some light on albinism and show how uniquely beautiful albino people can be.
“Many people do not know what albinos are,” Asel said.
We think these sisters are stunning! Share this remarkable story and beautiful photos!
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