Planeload of abandoned dogs and cats from Afghanistan arrives in Vancouver

Hundreds of animals stranded in Afghanistan arrived inVancouver on Tuesday night,after more than six months of rescue efforts bythe 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 aircraftafter 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 groupshoped 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 minutedue to the conflict going on in Russia."

FromYVR, the animals will be transferred to aspecially constructed 1,600-square metre facility.

Kalef saidabout 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 Internationaland the B.C.-basedRainCoast 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.

Some of the obstacles that stoodin the way of the international rescue effort included plane restrictions, explosions at the Kabul airport, and permit delays.

U.S. disease control regulations, specifically around animals at high risk of rabies, also meant that some of the dogs being rescued could not directly be flown into the country.