The UK government has decided to fly 15 dogs and cats back to Scotland after the animals were left stranded in Kenya.
A report by a UK media outlet Daily Record indicated that the UK made the decision after an outcry from the families that had been separated from the pets.
The government's red tape and too many bureaucratic process had bogged things down for the pet's flights, creating uncertainity.
The families had flown to Nanyuki, Kenya for a two-year tour of the British Army Training Unit.
The families were forced to leave their pets in Kenya following a ban by the UK government on travel to red list countries.
After negotiations between the families and army officials, the UK agreed to fly the dogs back to Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton on three different flights.
Chloe Docherty, 31. who is a member of one of the families that had been residing in Kenya, told the outlet that she was elated with the news. She had adopted a dog called Bear shortly after arriving in Kenya.
“A lot of us have rescued pets here or brought over our own. There are a lot of Scots here who were in the same situation.
“With the amount of support we have had, APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) have decided to support the move. We got confirmation this morning," she noted.
After the animals were left behind, they were taken to different shelters in the area awaiting the return of their owners in October 2021.
The new Nanyuki army barracks was officially opened on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, by UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace.
He was accompanied by Kenya's Defense Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma. The new Nyati Barracks was officially opened at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Nanyuki.
BATUK has been a key component of the British Army’s light roll training delivery for many years, enabling battle-groups to undertake state of the art training in arduous conditions up to five times a year.
Every year 10,000 British troops exercise in Kenya, however, due to the limitations caused by the pandemic, in 2020, 4,500 troops were trained.
