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Japan: Setting out to save animals, part one

March 14, 2011, 5:41AM MT

By Sharon St. Joan, Best Friends Network

Rescue groups, in the wake of the disaster in Japan, gear up to save animals.

Elizabeth Oliver, chairman of the Board of Animal Refuge Kansai (ARK) recalls the days after the Kobe earthquake in 1995, “From our experience of the great Hanshin earthquake on January 17, 1995, we know that the number of homeless pets may be immense. …

“In the case of Kobe, most of the animals that came to us came from the emergency centers where people had sought refuge with their pets. Others were ones that had been rescued from destroyed houses or off the street by local people. In that one year we took in 600 animals, mainly dogs and cats, but also rabbits and birds. …”

Preparing for the worst

“Here at ARK we are preparing for what might be a huge influx of animals. We already have some facilities in place and a team of experienced staff able to deal with traumatized animals. We may have to build emergency shelters as well. The logistics of getting animal from the Tohoku/Sendai area is immense, since roads and other transport links have been cut and may take time to restore. Our only means to get animals down to Osaka may be by helicopter, which was one method we used after the Kobe earthquake.

“We will use our resources and know-how to help as many animals as we can, following this terrible disaster.”

Whole towns gone

With countless human deaths, whole towns gone, miles and miles of unbelievable debris of smashed cars and toppled houses, a whole nation is reeling from shock. Many have lost their loved ones and all the pieces of their lives. There is now an added fear of nuclear radiation — a shadow that haunts Japan from the past.

Thousands of animals need food, water, shelter, often a new home or to be reunited with their family, when that is possible. There are cats hiding in the rubble, dogs looking for their people, wild birds and animals wondering what has happened to their coastline and their habitat and cows and goats, without food, now that their pastures are soaked in saltwater.

Who is helping?

Among the groups setting out to rescue and provide water, food, and vet care to animals left stranded in the enormous disaster that has struck the island of Japan are ARK and Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support, a coalition made up of Japan Cat Network, Animal Garden Niigata, and HEART-Tokushima.

To find out how exactly to help the animals in Japan, please see below. These animal groups are carrying out emergency relief to reach the animals in need.

There are dozens and dozens of dedicated, hard-working animal groups in Japan. As we hear news from other groups, we’ll be adding their names and contact information to the list because they also are saving dogs, cats, farm animals and other animals who were caught up in this terrible disaster.

Animal people always find a way to help animals, and in past disasters like the Asian tsunami of 2004, it’s been noteworthy that even people who’ve lost their own homes or suffered great personal tragedy can be found going through destroyed neighborhoods, doing what they can to give comfort to dogs, cats or farm animals stranded in flooded fields.

Animal groups from areas far from the center of the disaster are sometimes, in the beginning, best positioned to organize rescue teams.

Based in Kansai, in the southern part of Honshu, Japan’s main island, Susan Roberts of Japan Cat Network will be setting out early this week to head towards the main disaster area further north on the coast. She writes, “I know that we need to get out there and start helping as soon as possible … I really can’t imagine how bad the situation could be.” She and a team will be setting out early this week to head towards the main disaster area around Sendai.

Continued in part two

How you can help

To give a donation to rescue animals in Japan, click on one of these links:

For HEART-Tokushima and the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support, click here. When you donate on this site, your donations will go to the coalition Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support, and will be divided equally among all the rescue groups participating.

If you prefer to give to Japan Cat Network or Animal Garden Niigata — all belong to the same coalition — please click here or here.

If you encounter a PayPal form in Japanese instead of English, and you cannot read it, try going to the HEART-Tokushima site above, where the form is in English. Indicate “for earthquake relief” on the form.

To donate to Animal Rescue Kansai, click here.

To view the Facebook page of Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support, click here. You may also donate on this page.

To view Susan Robert's blog on the Best Friends Network, click here.

Note: To make a donation in U.S. dollars, try the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support website. You can donate in USD using the ChipIn feature on the right side.

More Japanese organizations will be added as we become aware of the rescue work they are doing in this disaster.

Photos: Courtesy of the Japan Cat Network; rescued cats and a dog in Japan; these were taken sometime ago and are not earthquake photos.

Comments

Posted March 14, 2011, 2:28PM by abraslow

Is there any way to set up a donation form that will allow donations to be made in US dollars. All of the locations are in yen

Posted March 14, 2011, 3:38PM by kim.b

To make a donation in US Dollars try the website of Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support- http://japanearthquakeanimalrelief.chipin.com/japan-earthquake-animal-rescue-and-support You can donate in USD using the ChipIn feature on the right side.

Posted March 14, 2011, 4:0PM by abraslow

the site http://japanearthquakeanimalrelief.chipin.com/japan-earthquake-animal-rescue-and-support worked and I was able to make a donation...

Posted March 14, 2011, 5:53PM by oxmyx

Is anyone from Best Friends going to Japan?

Posted March 14, 2011, 6:22PM by sharonstjoan

Thanks for the question. We have no plans at this time for anyone from Best Friends to go to Japan. There are many Japanese animal groups already there, who have lots of experience with disaster relief in local conditions. They do very much need our support though. Thanks so very much to all of you who have expressed such concern and have given donations. Any amount sent directly to these local groups is very gratefully received and goes directly towards helping the animals. It is very cost-effective and is by far the most efficient way to help.

Posted March 14, 2011, 6:24PM by sharonstjoan

We know that donating is a little complicated. Thanks for being persevering!

Here's another tip: When donating to ARK via PayPal there’s an option in the top right to change from Japanese to English. Be sure to notice whether your donation will be in yen or in U.S. Dollars. It makes a difference!

For yen to dollar conversion go here: http://coinmill.com/JPY_USD.html

Posted March 14, 2011, 8:32PM by kjmbrit

The down arrow does work to get the Paypal site into English. thanks. However be CAREFUL. Once you have changed the site noted above to English it records in US dollars not YEN as mentioned. As the currency conversion is (today 3/14/2011) ~81 Yen to the dollar double check what currency you are in before hitting the confirm button or you will find yourself being even more generous than you intended. Godspeed to all the deserving humans and animals in need in Japan.

Posted March 14, 2011, 10:24PM by sharonstjoan

Thanks very much, Kjmbrit, for that note of caution. We'll try to get that post changed, since it's confusing. Thanks for the clarification!

Posted March 15, 2011, 11:8AM by missikarli

I have a group I belong to and a memeber posted a plea of help from JapanCatNet.com for phone call assistance. Who should I pass this on to??

Posted March 15, 2011, 11:10AM by missikarli

I sent all information to Linda B. in H.R. Thanks! Karla S.

Posted March 15, 2011, 11:22AM by sharonstjoan

Please pass on any information about local Japanese groups that are helping animals in Japan to sharonsj@bestfriends.org We are already in contact with those we have mention in the stories posted, including Japan Cat Network. Contact information for other groups any of you may know will be greatly appreciated! We have Japanese-speaking volunteers working with us who can write to them in Japanese. Many thanks!

Posted March 15, 2011, 2:49PM by missikarli

Thanks. Karli

Posted March 16, 2011, 8:54AM by kjboise

I donated via credit card via the HEART-Tokushima and the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support link above and put in my amount in USD even though it said yen - per the post from kjmbrit above. Perhaps that was just for PayPal and not cc. The confirmation email I got said I only gave 64 cents! I'll wait for my credit card post to confirm and try again if necessary.

Posted March 16, 2011, 12:48PM by Crazysleepingcatlady

Gob Bless everyone in Japan who has been affected by this horrible, horrible tragedy. And May God Bless everyone who is stepping up to help whether by physically helping those animals in need right there in Japan or by donating money, supplies, etc. I intend to donate as well. There is a heartbreaking video on MSN today showing a dog who will not leave the side of another injured dog. It is possibly the most heartbreaking video I have ever seen. Thank God both doggies were rescued within an hour of the video shoot and both have been taken to rescue and vet service. I am praying night and day for all the victims, two and four legged varieties........again, I can't say this enough...God Bless You

Posted March 16, 2011, 2:30PM by mimiminou

This from NY Times--they won't allow people to keep their pets in shelters! (Too bad they can't learn from Katrina...) "Those who do leave the shelters have little choice but to live amid the debris of their smashed homes. Osamu Niinuma, 68, was ejected from one shelter because he insisted on bringing his dog. With many of his friends lost to the tsunami, he said he could not part with the best friend, a beagle named Pan. "Now, he lives with Pan in the shattered shell of his home, wearing four layers of clothes to stay warm at night. “'I didn’t want to stay in the refugee shelter forever anyway,' said Mr. Niinuma, a former teacher. 'People need to get out and rebuild their lives.'" http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/world/asia/17cope.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&hp

Posted March 17, 2011, 9:1AM by parkdr

I was finally able to figure out the payment system - thank you for providing this assistance to these animals. It is heartbreaking that this has happened. I will spread the word among my friends and family about this site.

Posted March 17, 2011, 3:1PM by NYCKID

This is impossible, make it easier for US donors to give

Posted April 11, 2011, 8:49PM by dgdg5150

Who is helping the animals that CNN keeps showing in the danger zone of the radiation? There are tons of them! Someone went in the area and shot video of dogs running the streets and one dog they showed left behind, tied up and starving to death! They also showed a poor kitty sitting in a window looking out. Somebody has to figure out a way to get them out of there and help them!!

Posted April 21, 2011, 5:15PM by Bear1dog

How do I send items on the wish list to Japan from the US?

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