Pentagon denies abandoning military service dogs in Afghanistan

The Pentagon has denied abandoning military dogs in Kabul after viral images claimed to capture cages of dogs left behind.

Following the conclusion of America's longest war, activists, politicians and animal lovers have raised alarms online that the US was not evacuating its service dogs.

The Pentagon's press secretary John Kirby said: "To correct erroneous reports, the U.S. Military did not leave any dogs in cages at Hamid Karzai International Airport, including the reported military working dogs.

"Photos circulating online were animals under the care of the Kabul Small Animal Rescue, not dogs under our care."