As thousands of people continue to flee Sudan due to an ongoing battle for control of the North African nation, animal lovers came together to assist a South African couple fleeing the country with their two Scottish terriers.

Spaniel Rescue’s Amanda-Leigh Robinson tells Roodepoort Record that the doggies were stuck at Goustol Land Port last Friday as the authorities were prioritising human evacuation.

“The two dogs were confined to their crates with no one to watch over them. The Young family was waiting in Aswan at this point. Until they could schedule a private flight out, they needed somewhere safe to keep the dogs. Their documentation was in order. We immediately appealed for support,” Robinson clarifies.

The next day Adam Young was successful in rescuing his two canine family members and decided to stay behind with his beloved pets to make sure they were kept safe. At this point, Robinson was focused on determining whether or not there was an additional evacuation flight. If not, they had a significant fundraising task ahead of them to bring Adam and his Scotties back to South Africa.

“Adam stayed behind when his family took the evacuation flight out because he was not leaving those precious pups behind, even though the odds were against him getting them out,” Robinson explains.

She made a request to the online community for assistance in locating a pet-friendly hotel for the group.

Unfortunately, when Adam and the puppies arrived at the bed-and-breakfast that had been reserved and paid for them, they were regrettably turned away. Another guesthouse was located amid a flurry of activity, and Adam and the puppies were able to rest their heads on a comfortable bed at last.

“A particular deep appreciation goes out to Habib from Habibi Nubian Guesthouse for providing them with a little flat with a garden, and for delivering two voice messages assuring them that they were all secure and comfortable.”

She says their next task was to transport them from Aswan to Cairo so they can catch a flight back to South Africa.

Young, Isla, and Nyala’s transportation to Cairo was organised by Melody van der Walt and a tour operator. To reach Adam in Aswan, Three Pyramids Travel employee Ahmed spent the entire night on the road.

On their journey, the trio was joined by six additional passengers. Dr Selma, a veterinarian from Khartoum, made it to Aswan with five cats in tow — one of them belonged to her and the other four belonged to employees of the American Embassy, according to Robinson.

She affirms that Young is deeply touched and honoured by the kindness extended to him and his dogs.

“He never intended to become the next big thing in the media; he was just a loving Scottie dad who insisted on staying with his dogs. Although he is unable to thank each individual, please know that your words of kindness and support, as well as all the donations, have lifted his spirits, and he is sincerely grateful for them,” Robinson stresses.

Young and his pups arrived safely in Cairo on Wednesday, and the next step in their journey is to get onto a flight to come home.

To help bring Isla, Nyala, and their human dad home, contact Robinson on 078 305 6922.