Animal Shelters Research Paper
Animal Shelters in Japan
There are a number of no-kill shelters in the Japan. They do their best under difficult circumstances. They provide health care, food, some personal attention and daily walks, but most have little space and the animals are usually kept in small cages. Some remain there for years if they are not adopted.
Nonetheless this is better than the alternative of being sent to the city pound where euthanasia is generally the order of the day. According to the Japan Times, 200,000 dogs and cats are gassed each year (Scott). The article further states that 82% of the animals sent to public shelters in 2010 were put down. Most of the animals were cats (Scott). Many of them are puppies and kittens, particularly in rural areas …show more content…
(Shimizu). The method most often used is carbon dioxide gas, which is not in favor in most countries in the West as it causes suffering (Scott).
It is true that things have improved over the years. In 1997 the number of animals euthanized was about 650,000 (Shizume). Nonetheless, there is work to be done to improve the lot of unwanted animals in Japan.
The Environment Ministry began to encourage shelters to become “no kill” in 2009 by offering subsidies and other incentives (Shizume). In 2008 the Cabinet set aside funds to help new owners vaccinate animals adopted from public shelters (International).
The Tohoku earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown created another difficult situation.
Many animals were left behind when people evacuated the dangerous areas around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant because of radiation. After initially forbidding animal rescue groups to enter the area, the government relented and created guidelines that the groups had to follow (Jiji). One of the shelters which has taken animals from Fukushima is ARK, which is run by Elizabeth Oliver from the UK. ARK has shelters in both Osaka and Tokyo. Oliver says that the biggest challenge is getting enough funding to pay for the care of the animals …show more content…
(Okazaki).
That is one of the reasons that most shelters ask for a donation when a family adopts an animal. The SALA shelter in Fuchu asks for the cost of the neuter or spay operation. They also make sure that the animal will have a good home by visiting the adoptive family and watching how they interact with the animal. There is usually a trial period after which the family is free to return the animal if it does not work out.
The Japanese are great animal lovers and in fact there are 22 million pets in Japan.
In fact, there are more pets than children (Scott).
Perhaps what is needed is greater awareness on the part of the Japanese public to reduce the number of unwanted animals, to create more no-kill shelters and get other shelters to use more humane methods of euthanasia.
"International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi): This Spring, the Government is Extending a Helping Hand to Abandoned Stray Pets That End Up in Animal Shelters." International Herald Tribune-Asahi Shimbun (Tokyo, Japan) 1 Feb. 2008: NewsBank. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Jiji: Japan Sets Guidelines on Pet Rescue in Fukushima No-Go Zone." JIJI (Japan) 5 Dec. 2011: NewsBank. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Okazaki, Manami. "Brit Devotes Lifework to the abused, Abandoned." Japan Times, (Tokyo, Japan) 2 Jun. 2007: NewsBank. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Scott, Simon. "Millions of Dogs, Cats Coddled, 200,000 Gassed Each Year in Pet-Mad Japan." Japan Times, (Tokyo, Japan) 19 Feb. 2013: NewsBank. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Shizume, Saiji. "FEATURE: Gov't Backs Campaign to Change Pet Disposal Sites to Shelters." Kyodo News International, Inc. 2 Apr. 2009,: NewsBank. Web. 1 May.
2013.
There are a number of no-kill shelters in the Japan. They do their best under difficult circumstances. They provide health care, food, some personal attention and daily walks, but most have little space and the animals are usually kept in small cages. Some remain there for years if they are not adopted.
Nonetheless this is better than the alternative of being sent to the city pound where euthanasia is generally the order of the day. According to the Japan Times, 200,000 dogs and cats are gassed each year (Scott). The article further states that 82% of the animals sent to public shelters in 2010 were put down. Most of the animals were cats (Scott). Many of them are puppies and kittens, particularly in rural areas …show more content…
(Shimizu). The method most often used is carbon dioxide gas, which is not in favor in most countries in the West as it causes suffering (Scott).
It is true that things have improved over the years. In 1997 the number of animals euthanized was about 650,000 (Shizume). Nonetheless, there is work to be done to improve the lot of unwanted animals in Japan.
The Environment Ministry began to encourage shelters to become “no kill” in 2009 by offering subsidies and other incentives (Shizume). In 2008 the Cabinet set aside funds to help new owners vaccinate animals adopted from public shelters (International).
The Tohoku earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown created another difficult situation.
Many animals were left behind when people evacuated the dangerous areas around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant because of radiation. After initially forbidding animal rescue groups to enter the area, the government relented and created guidelines that the groups had to follow (Jiji). One of the shelters which has taken animals from Fukushima is ARK, which is run by Elizabeth Oliver from the UK. ARK has shelters in both Osaka and Tokyo. Oliver says that the biggest challenge is getting enough funding to pay for the care of the animals …show more content…
(Okazaki).
That is one of the reasons that most shelters ask for a donation when a family adopts an animal. The SALA shelter in Fuchu asks for the cost of the neuter or spay operation. They also make sure that the animal will have a good home by visiting the adoptive family and watching how they interact with the animal. There is usually a trial period after which the family is free to return the animal if it does not work out.
The Japanese are great animal lovers and in fact there are 22 million pets in Japan.
In fact, there are more pets than children (Scott).
Perhaps what is needed is greater awareness on the part of the Japanese public to reduce the number of unwanted animals, to create more no-kill shelters and get other shelters to use more humane methods of euthanasia.
"International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi): This Spring, the Government is Extending a Helping Hand to Abandoned Stray Pets That End Up in Animal Shelters." International Herald Tribune-Asahi Shimbun (Tokyo, Japan) 1 Feb. 2008: NewsBank. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Jiji: Japan Sets Guidelines on Pet Rescue in Fukushima No-Go Zone." JIJI (Japan) 5 Dec. 2011: NewsBank. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Okazaki, Manami. "Brit Devotes Lifework to the abused, Abandoned." Japan Times, (Tokyo, Japan) 2 Jun. 2007: NewsBank. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Scott, Simon. "Millions of Dogs, Cats Coddled, 200,000 Gassed Each Year in Pet-Mad Japan." Japan Times, (Tokyo, Japan) 19 Feb. 2013: NewsBank. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Shizume, Saiji. "FEATURE: Gov't Backs Campaign to Change Pet Disposal Sites to Shelters." Kyodo News International, Inc. 2 Apr. 2009,: NewsBank. Web. 1 May.
2013.