A YOUNG dog rescued from certain death in war-torn Afghanistan has just started a new life thousands of miles away in rural West Devon.

Jack, a Kushi mountain dog, was discovered by Ryan Coatalen-Hodgson while he was on tour in the south of the country last summer. One of a litter of eight, Jack's mother had been shot and the puppies were being secretly looked after, against services' rules, by members of the Parachute Regiment.

But when the regiment returned to England there was no-one left to take care of Jack — and Ryan, a former Tavistock College student, decided to take action.

He begged his mother, Debra, to take on the pup if he could get him back to the UK.

Following an appeal for funds in the Times last April, £4,500 was raised. This enabled Jack to be cared for and transported 400 hazardous miles through Afghanistan and eventually back to the UK by the animal charity Nowzad. He then underwent a further six months in quarantine kennels at Newton Abbot.

Now, at long last, he has been brought back to his new home.

Naval officer Ryan said: 'I'm really happy to see him here, and he's settled in really well, when you consider what he's been through in his short life.'

Jack's future would have been very uncertain indeed, had he been left in Afghanistan.

'The Afghan police near the checkpoint had asked for him — they wanted him for fighting,' said Ryan, who added that it was forces policy for abandoned dogs to be shot.

He said he was extremely grateful to everyone who had donated money to help save Jack.

'People were more than generous, we had donations from all over the world. It was absolutely wonderful — it really does change the way you look at him, when you think how kind people have been,' said Ryan.

'A lot of people really stuck their necks out for me, just to get him through Afghanistan.

'There were some pretty dodgy times and people went to great lengths, from local interpreters to my chief of staff, who should really have forbidden me doing what I did.'

Ryan also had special praise for Nowzad, a charity set up by former Royal Marine Pen Farthing, who served with 42 Commando.

'They were fantastic, and it's ironic that Jack came from where Pen's old unit was based,' said Ryan.

Debra, Ryan's mother, already has a rescued Great Dane and greyhound, so the large, bouncy, untrained Afghan newcomer has taken some settling in.

Debra said:?'It was fairly tense for the first few days, particularly with the other dogs, but he's very good natured.

'Walking them in the mornings is a bit of a nightmare — although he's not too bad on the lead and he's getting better every day.

'We are hoping to do training classes in the New Year — although we went to see him every week in quarantine, you'd teach him something and he'd forgotten it all by the next week.'

Debra said despite some destructive tendencies, Jack was 'a lover, not a fighter' and she was pleased to be able to give him a home.

'The troops out there do get very attached to these dogs. They are very remote, away from home for months, they go through some horrible things, and these dogs give them unconditional love and a bit of home comfort,' said Debra.

'I don't regret taking him — you look at him and think he's come such a long way, in every way, yet he's just a normal dog — and he doesn't show a shred of gratitude!'

l Plymouth-based Nowzad was set up to relieve the suffering of animals, mainly stray and abandoned dogs, cats and donkeys in Afghanistan. It provides rescue facilities and promotes animal welfare. To find out more or to make a donation, go to http://www.nowzad.com">www.nowzad.com