Tashirojima & Animal Rescue Efforts in Japan

[terradi]

Fuuki-chan

they're just ******** animals.

If your meaning is that they should come after people, I agree. If your meaning is that they shouldn't be saved at all, I strongly disagree. While you may have little or no care about pets, they can and often do mean quite a bit to their owners. Especially for someone who has lost just about everything else, pets mean a lot.

In Japan, a country with a rapidly aging population, some people treat their pets as the children that they never had. One look at all the chihuahuas dressed up in ridiculous clothing being pushed around in strollers here is undeniable proof of that.

Further, livestock represents livelihoods and for many, a way of life that they have kept for generations. As quoted in the last post, there is a lot of livestock that has been left behind. Tohoku has a lot of livestock. Many of the communities impacted are rural, and farmers are paying the price here.

Just because you find no value in something does not mean it has no value.

[terradi]

I found a website that links to ways to help. It doesn't directly link to graphic images, but they have a disclaimer because the sites they link to do contain graphic images. I'd link to the blog itself, but I'm concerned about Terms of Service for Gaia. Due to that, I'm going to copy their section about helping out.

All credit goes to The Hagwood Life blog. This is from their post "Ways you can help - NOW" dated April 22nd. If you'd like to seek them out, please feel free to do so. Because they're listing petitions and ways to help out, I don't think they'll mind me spreading this information a little farther:

Quote:

Here are some links and petitions that you can sign within minutes, to make the people who can change things, aware of the importance of this movement.

Thank you for helping.
(In your messages , please do not mention groups or people by name as this will hamper their good work)

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
https://www.contact.maff.go.jp/maff/form/114e.html

Ministry of the environment
MOE are apparently in discussion as to how to act regarding the animals still within the zone (now illegal to enter).

Your message can help persuade them to act.
https://www.env.go.jp/en/moemail/

The Japanese Government's office direct -
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html


Petitions to sign (takes two minutes!)

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/26/save-animals-in-Japan-evacuation-zone/

I've removed one link to a petition, again, due to graphic images. The post continues, but provides links to youtube videos and websites that contain images which are not appropriate for Gaia.


Thanks for reading. heart

[Masakaki]

bump

[Arbitrator Jelly]

bump

[terradi]

One of the mods was kind enough to move this from the now locked Japan earthquake forum to Pets. Bumping it back up to continue raising awareness.

The big issue right now continues to be the 20km evacuation area. The government is enforcing their no-entry rule, which makes it impossible for animal rescue groups to legally go in and aid animals there. JEARS is not going in as a result. They can't without risking fines and possibly much worse. No one knows what is going to happen right now. Though I know JEARS is working in the 30km zone. There is fear that the evacuation zone will expand and that these animals will become off-limits as well if things don't get better.



The above video was provided by JEARS. They also include the following in their video comments:

Quote:

WE NEED YOUR HELP.
Please send your requestto save the petsin the exclusion
zone to the prime minister's office at:
https://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment_ssl.html


Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html

ARK (which is another English-centered animal-rescue group) provides the following petition as well.

If you have time, please do sign.

Lastly, JEARS provides the following from their facebook page:

Quote:

URGENT REQUEST, REPRINTING WELCOME
Help pets left behind! Entry to Exclusion Zone
We are appealing to the Prime Minister’s Office by mail. Please help us.

On April 22, the Government of Japan officially established the Exclusion Zone, which legally prohibits entering a 20km zone around the nuclear reactors. To rescue animals left in the area, Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support (JEARS) created a new petition addressed to the Prime Minister's Office and cabinets.

If you want to save animals, and if you agree with the content, please email the “Request to Save the Pets in the Exclusion Zone” to the Prime Minister’s Office.

(Please note: Please refrain from phoning or faxing because this causes trouble during times of crisis.)

You are welcome to copy all or a part of the message.


We listed two links below. If you would like to use the second link, please send the following written petition in Japanese. To do so, follow the instructions below:


1. Go to either one of the following two forms:
the comment page for the Prime Minister’s Office at:
https://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment_ssl.html
(English input.)
or
https://www.e-gov.go.jp/policy/servlet/Propose
(Japanese input. instruction is as follows.)
2. Please input the following:
電子メールアドレス: (“Your email address”)
確認の為、再度入力してください。: (“Please input your email address again for confirmation.”)
各府省への政策に関するご意見・ご要望を2000文字以内で入力してください。
（半角カナなどの機種依存文字は使用しないでください。）
“Please state your opinion or request concerning governmental policies to the Office and various ministries.
Please do not use machine-dependent characters such as half-sized kana.”
The following is the written petition written in Japanese. We provided the English translation at the bottom of this page. Please copy from the next line onward.

東北関東大震災、警戒区域への動物救援グループ立入りについてのお願い

原発避難区域20キロ圏内警戒区域への動物救援グループの立入り許可を下さる様、謹んでお願い致します。

立入り禁止規制をかけねばならない国の立場はわかりますが、災害から全ての物を失われ、残された家族の一員としてのペットの安否を気遣う人々の心境を思いやらずにはいられません。

動物救援ボランティアグループは、救済に伴うリスクを承知で、犬、猫、その他コンパニオンの動物達の命を救いたいと考えています。救助グループや、個人ボランティアには特別に「立ち入り許可証」などを与えて頂き、全面的に規制するのではなく、ボランティア達が 動物の移動や餌を与える等の救済活動に安全に専念出来るよう,　ご配慮頂けますと幸いです。

又、恐れ入りますが、自分では救助に行けない飼い主さんや、情報を得にくい飼い主さんのために情報提供をして頂けますでしょうか。何卒、宜しくお願い致します。

(Copy up to the line above and paste in the column.)

4. Check the departments you are sending the comment to: 内閣官房 (located at 1st line far left) and 内閣府 (located at 1st line far right) -These are the Cabinet Secretary and the Cabinet Office.

5. Click on the 送信 (“send”) button to send it.

6. The next screen shows you the message content. If this is acceptable, please click on the確認 (“confirm”) button to send it.

If you wish to redo it, please click on the戻る (“return”) button.

7. The next screen will say:

“Input the numbers you see in the blank columns.”

Input these numbers and click on 確認 (“confirm”).

Click on 戻る (“return”) to go back.

8. You will get a confirmation ID on the next screen.

=====

Below is a translation of the actual petition. Please do not send it in English. Copy the Japanese text above and send that.

Urgent Request to Rescue Pets Left Behind in the Exclusion Zone Following the Great East Japan Earthquake

We would like to respectfully request that you will consider issuing entry permits to animal rescue groups.

While we understand the nation’s position in imposing restrictions on entering the 20km exclusion zone, we also feel that for many people who have lost everything, the added agony of wondering about the fate of their pets, part of their families, is a cruel twist. Volunteer groups are aware of the risks and would like to save the lives of dogs, cats, and other companion animals. We humbly ask that you kindly provide rescue groups, and individual volunteers with special “entrance permits” and do not impose random restrictions.

Also, please assist in distributing information among pet owners who cannot go to bring their pets out or who do not have access to online information.

-------

If you are also interested in writing to:

MAFF, Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries, English page can be found at: https://www.contact.maff.go.jp/maff/form/114e.html

MOE, Ministry of the Environment:

https://www.env.go.jp/en/moemail/

heart Thanks for the time and attention.

[terradi]

And the news just does not get better. A pair of articles from Kinship Circle, a group that is working with JEARS:

[Article 1]
[Article 2]

First contains links to petitions, second talks about plans to cull all animals within the 20km radius. Focus on farm animals. gonk

[XxMrBunBunxX]

terradi

And the news just does not get better. A pair of articles from Kinship Circle, a group that is working with JEARS:

[Article 1]
[Article 2]

First contains links to petitions, second talks about plans to cull all animals within the 20km radius. Focus on farm animals. gonk

I wondered when they were going to make the decision to cull the animals :[
It's terribly sad that they have to do that, but I guess it's necessary :[
May the world learn from this horrible catastrophe.

[terradi]

XxMrBunBunxX

I wondered when they were going to make the decision to cull the animals :[
It's terribly sad that they have to do that, but I guess it's necessary :[
May the world learn from this horrible catastrophe.

It makes sense for livestock. I can understand that. Anything which gets eaten really, which is probably most of what's up there, isn't going to be fit for consumption and would have been killed as a part of nature anyways. Perhaps not with dairy cows ... but given the rather horrific videos of dairy farms where half the animals are dead or too weak to stand, I have to admit that this may be the most merciful way of handling the situation.

I just really hope that they don't move from culling livestock to killing cats and dogs.

~

Blog detailing what it's like to be up in Fukushima, rescuing animals. It's just a day of a typical rescue, but it's an interesting read nonetheless.

It really makes me wish I could head up there to help out. But my work requires a two-month notice before I can take days off, and I just do not have that luxury.

[terradi]

Up.

The Fukushima kitty who was staying at the shelter by me has died. It was illness-related. Things that she contracted long before the quake. If she hadn't gone so long without food probably she'd have lived longer. But she was warm, comfortable, and well-cared for in her final days. So there is that comfort.

The shelter by me expects to see more kitties as they slowly come in from the allied shelters that are closer to the quake. I think ... maybe ten soon? Right now they just have a few from people leaving the country ... two that had been adopted now and two more that'd been fostered coming back. Poor things ... hard to go from a family and all that love and affection to being one of a large number of kitties.

Our founder is heading up on Wednesday to see things. I'll be checking in on the shelter Thursday and make sure everyone's alright for them.

[terradi]

Pictures from Kinship Circle. They have a lot of animal articles in general, and plenty of pet ones. They're working with JEARS.


^^ I may be making a trip up to help out with the shelter, but in like, two months. Gotta request and actually get the vacation time off from work first!

[terradi]

上げる

[terradi]

Up!

[terradi]

Up

Rescue work continues. Hoping to have a chance to help out a bit closer to all the action ... but I have to give work two months notice. So I'd have to request off now to help out in like .. July. D: I know there will be a place for me at the shelter if I go then. May or may not be rescue work to do as well. I wish I had more flexibility. I really do!

[terradi]

I am making the conscious decision to keep updating this thread and to keep posting on it. Because there is still work to be done, and there are still things foreigners can do to help out.

A youtube video from a cat owner, appealing for further help:


There were protests in Tokyo asking the government to step in as well and to allow animal rescue groups to go in and continue rescue efforts.

[terradi]

Up.

And good news for a change! The Japanese government has allowed people to go back into the evacuation zone and give food to their animals who have been stuck in the evacuation zone. No rescues allowed yeeet ... but this is a step in the right direction. And not just for the animals. It allows families to gather up keepsakes, to get medication and other important or sentimental things, and to have some form of comfort while they wait in an evacuation center to find out if/when they will be able to return home.