From Afghan fighting-dog to a starring role at Crufts: Extraordinary recovery of mongrel rescued by British soldiers in Kandahar Mongrel rescued from the streets of Afghanistan to compete in Crufts Wylie suffered a severed tail and ears and a stab wound to his chest By David Williams In Kabul Fighting back: Wylie the rescued dog from Afghanistan is preparing to compete at Scruffts with his new owner Sarah Singleton He was a fighting-dog who endured brutal beatings, had his ears and tail severed and was left for dead on the streets of Afghanistan. But now the only adversaries Wylie has to worry about are the other crossbreeds at Crufts. The four-year-old mongrel was rescued from his ordeal in Kandahar by British soldiers - and has battled through to the final qualification round of the dog show. Fittingly, it is to be held on Remembrance weekend in central London. Whatever the outcome of the "Scruffts" section of the Kennel Club competition - for "crossbreed dogs of mixed blood" - there will be no other dog with a story to match Wylie's. "It is an extraordinary life and journey," said Sarah Singleton, Wylie's owner - a life made possible by the charity founded by former Marine Commando Pen Farthing that rescues dogs befriended by servicemen and aid workers in Afghanistan before reuniting them back home. So far Nowzad, based on the outskirts of the Afghan capital Kabul, has sent more than 550 dogs to new lives. By the time Wylie reached the clinic, he had already cheated death repeatedly. A convoy of British soldiers on patrol in Kandahar had gone to his aid in February 2011 when a crowd watching a dog-fight were beating Wylie with lumps of wood. Back at base, Wylie was patched up by an Australian woman soldier, who feared he would not last the night. Astonishingly, he did but days later was back after dog-fighters had hacked off his ears, before cutting his muzzle open. He was again patched up only to return with new injuries that included a stab wound to the chest and a severed tail. Brutalised: Wylie when he was rescued in Kandahar After thugs threw him under a car the Australian soldier began planning to take him home. Nowzad has launched an urgent appeal to help fund a new clinic in Kabul after being forced to leave its present secure premises. Founder Pen Farthing warns the failure to secure sufficient funds threatens its existence. More than 550 dogs have so far passed through Nowzad's kennels, with the charity arranging chipping and the taking of blood samples - which are then sent to the British authorities - followed by four months" quarantine for the UK, 30 days for the US. To donate go to www.justgiving.com/NowzadClinicAppeal. Like many soldiers who befriended dogs during Afghan tours of duty, she knew of the work of Nowzad, which had been set up by Farthing, then a Marine Sergeant, after he broke up a dog fight in the Helmand town of Now Zad in 2006 and adopted one of the dogs Within months, the charity was formed. "The relationships built up between a dog and soldier on bases can be very special," Sgt Farthing, 43, from Exeter, said. A dog can ease the stress and provide five minutes of normality that is hugely important in that kind of environment. Wylie was treated by Nowzad vets before being placed in kennels in the West Country during his quarantine. But he was refused entry to Australia. One of his regular visitors was Sarah, 35, from Yeovil, Somerset. She says quickly a "love affair with a lovely dog" began. As a way of highlighting the work of Nowzad, Sarah decided to enter Wylie for Scruffts - and to her delight he has reached the "semi-final" on Remembrance Day. "It would be so wonderful, so fitting, if he was to win on that day," she said.