‘Inspiring’ vet who fled the Taliban wins award
(left-right) Claire Horton, Dr Mohammad and Gyles Brandreth.
A charity vet who fled the Taliban 15 years ago has received a special recognition award for his outstanding efforts to improve animal welfare in the UK and his home country, Afghanistan.
Dr Abdul-Jalil Mohammadzai, known as Dr Mohammad, got a standing ovation from an audience of hundreds of animal rescue workers as he collected his award this week. It was presented by the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) at its Animal Charity Awards in Birmingham.
After training as a veterinary surgeon at Kabul University, Dr Mohammad graduated just as the Taliban seized power and destroyed the university’s veterinary faculties. He fled to the UK and began volunteering at the Mayhew Animal Home.
Judges for the ADCH awards were “blown away” by his inspiring outreach work since then. Earlier this year he managed to negotiate a groundbreaking agreement with Kabul City Authorities to end the inhumane culling of free-roaming dogs in the city. He is also working to provide some of the first scientifically-based statistics on animal welfare issues in an Islamic country.
Dr Mohammad is the Mayhew’s project manager for Afghanistan and has worked tirelessly to rebuild the Vet Faculty at Kabul University, to ensure veterinary surgeons of the future can continue to care for the country’s animals.
His work also goes beyond Afghanistan, and he played an instrumental role in the Hope and Animal Trust’s field clinic in Ranchi, India, improving hygiene and welfare levels and introducing more efficient working practices, which are upheld to this day.
Colleagues at the Mayhew, who nominated him for the award, describe him as a “much loved and respected member of the team and a true gentleman”.
ADCH chairman Claire Horton praised Dr Mohammad’s programme for veterinary help and training in Afghanistan, describing it as “truly a breakthrough achievement”.
“We share his colleagues’ praise for Dr Mohammad and celebrate his passion, determination and commitment to helping animals across the globe,” she commented. “He should be incredibly proud of all he has achieved.”
Caroline Yates, CEO at the Mayhew, added: “Since 2001, Mohammad has been working tirelessly to put the welfare and care of animals first in a part of the world where animal welfare hasn't always been considered a priority.
“His veterinary training, his kindness and professionalism has proven invaluable to both qualified and student vets in Afghanistan and now, with the establishment of The Mayhew as an NGO in that country, he will be leading the way to introduce and implement Afghanistan's first animal welfare strategy including humane dog population control and rabies prevention programmes.
“I, and everyone at The Mayhew, are so incredibly proud of Mohammad and what he has achieved. This award could not have gone to a more deserving person.”
Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.
