www.animalwalktokyo.com

So, today was the animal walk! The sun came out, as did many, many people, animals too, all to support JEARS! Thank you!!

I got to meet the organiser, Brandy and also another JEARS helper, Kumi!




So many animals were there with their owners. I wish I could have brought Elbi, but the journey would have been too long for him. And, I had no transport for Susie, so it was just me and my human friends.

Registration was ¥2000, all of which of course went to support the animals. The turnout was great! The facebook event had 25 confirmed, but there were most certainly more people than that!


We were each handed a map and a JEARS information leaflet and we were ready to go, after the fashion show, that was!



Given the heat, even at that early hour, it was difficult to dress the dogs in much more than the fur they already had, but there were a few clad especially for the occasion.




I think Brandy's dog was a favourite of mine, given the fact that he looked like a potential best friend for Elbi!

There was even some colour co ordination. This dog on the right, called Spike, had a gorgeous turquoise scarf on to represent the animal walk group's colour!


The dogs in the prams were adorable too, in a monster-y kind of way! Lol



One lady had designed her own T-shirt for her and her dachshund.





It just goes to show that people do care. She was also handing out flyers to help try and raise awareness amongst the Japanese people about animal shelters. So many animals are dying in Hokenjos, yet people still shop for pets like they do accessories.

Someone even brought their cat along!



All in all, the walk was a great success. We also got to meet a lady, who can help us with some more publicity. I will post the finished article here too once it is done!

It wasn't a long walk, but for some animals, it was hard work in the sun of early June.











Thanks to all those who took part! Thank you to Brandy for organising the event! I can't wait to do it again! We need more of these fun fundraising events, things that many people can enjoy, but that also give them the chance to support those in need!

Otsukaredesama to the animal walk group!

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Location:代々木公園、東京、日本。

JEARS WISH LIST

JEARS WISH LIST ON AMAZON

JEARS now has a wish list, for those who want to donate, but don't know what to choose, how to send it, etc etc.

Amazon can do it all for you!!

All cards should work, so please click away!!!

THANK YOU!!!

Pets in Fukushima

This is a harsh reminder of the reality residents of Fukushima face.
This video is in Japanese with English subtitles.
Yoshida San, speaks very candidly about her situation. She is right, Japan should be a respectful country, however, these incidents prove it is not so.
Owners will be allowed to go get their pets now, but not until Mid-May.
The government has left these creatures to STARVE. There is a rally today in Tokyo for animals lost and animals still suffering. If you can show your support, please do

Details are here - http://animaldemo.blog.fc2.com/

And, as Yoshida San requests, please continue to support the animal welfare organisations in Japan, JEARS is one of them! Thank you! (https://www.facebook.com/AnimalRescueJapan // www.jears.org))

Jears articles

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/04/07/japan-earthquake-tsunami-and-nuclear-crisis-the-animals-need-saving-too/

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8688742-japan-the-animals-need-saving-too/content/76891881-jears-logo

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:春日部市、埼玉県

Searching for animals.

Currently reporting from the road back to Niigata.

It has been a long day of mostly driving. The stamina of the crew is inspiring and I am lucky to be sharing this experience.

Today we managed to leave late after various dramas, so despite my good efforts to get up early, which I did, they hadn't been necessary.

We hit the road, again, and again and again. It was a long road. We drove from the countryside plains of Niigata with it's snowy mountains and endless rice fields, to, courtesy of many long, dark tunnels, the clearer area of Fukushima, where mountains were only visible in yonder distance.

Throughout the day, it was our mission to constantly be on the look out for animals, even if we were just making a pit stop at a conbeeny, we could still use the opportunity to talk with locals and let them know about our work.

A photographer told us how, yesterday, he went into 'the zone' and there are so many dogs and cats just roaming around all by themselves.

((the zone, in case you are not aware is the area within 10 to 30 km of the nuclear plant. Only 10pm is mandatory and the rest, voluntary, but owners of pets left thinking they could return within a few days. Sadly, this is not so.))

We also met a lovely couple who had the most beautiful Labrador. We stopped and had a chat. She told us of a dog she had seen dead just up the road and took our details in case she found any that needed rescuing. It is this word of mouth that works well and it is amazing to see the support for the organisation.

We saw the coastline that had been affected from Soma, Fukushima, where it began, up as far as Yamamoto in south Miyagi. The destruction really is unreal. What we see on the news is awful, yet, seeing it in real life, still does not help comprehend what happened here. We had to swerve to dodge a big boat that had been forced form the bay over to the opposite side of the road. Gradually, the more houses we passed, the bigger the trail of destruction became.

Three weeks on, and people have started to move the debris and pile it up outside their houses. Everything on the first level was a destroyed. I watched as a family removed everything from their fish shop, from dead fish and crabs, to shop fittings and possessions, all saturated and muddy, nothing could be salvaged.

After ten minutes or so, north from Soma, the destruction spread even further inland. Very little remained of what was once a quiet little town on the coast.

Cars were smashed, wrangled and there were many scattered in the distant rice fields, which were still damp and muddy. The first floors of most houses were obliterated and those houses that were still standing with both floors, had windows smashed and curtains blowing in the wind to remind us of a family who once dwelled there, closing them to keep quiet and warm indoors. All that remained of other houses was the second floor alone. The tsunami came and swept away the base of the house leaving just the upper level. This was all that sat in the rice field.

The view was the same the whole road through, destruction, piles of debris, damaged cars, one was wrapped around a lamp post. But, the worst and saddest thing I saw today, was a little pink baby jump suit amongst the pile of debris outside a house where a wall was missing and the bathroom was on show.

As we drove along, we scoured the roads and debris for nay signs of canine of feline life. Of course, there was none. Not here, anyway. The coast was within eyesight and I could see blue calm waters, but before that lay mud, fallen trees and mess, all a sign that the water was, 3 weeks ago, was anything but calm.

We did hear dogs barking and feared that they may have been abandoned. We drove into the house and met the owners coming back from their food shopping trip. We explained to them our purpose. We offered them food, which they accepted graciously as it is scarce on these areas.

We have been o the road for 12 hours and we are not yet home. Maybe we have another hour or two on this windy, wet and, save for one truck ahead, empty road back to Niigata.

Big thanks go to
www.jears.org working with www.kinshipcircle.org (from America). they are working ever so hard to save all these animals and, when possible, reunite them with their owners.



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Location:On the road, Niigata, Fukushima, Miyagi.