「震災から今日まで…」小動物における動物救護活動について
Animal Rescue Operations for Small Animals - since the earthquake up until today
福島県動物救護本部／千葉小動物クリニック 獣医師・河又 淳

Jun KAWAMATA, Veterinarian, Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster Animal Rescue Task Force,
Chiba Small Animal Clinic, Fukushima City

My name is Jun Kawamata and I am a veterinarian withfrom private homes in the mountains. That’s how wea practice in Fukushima.

were able to continue the clinic’s practice. In daily life,
because of shortages and distribution problems, theI used to know nothing at all about earthquakes andsituation soon developed to the point where people

then suddenly the disaster struck us. Even so, I still

everywhere were running out of water and food.

don’t think I can talk effectively on the subject ofearthquakes but, to begin my talk, I can talk about what

This is the No.1 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi

actually happened in chronological order.

Nuclear Power Plant. On March 12, the day following
the earthquake, there was an explosion at the No. 1

As Dr. Ito said earlier, I heard that this earthquake,reactor. This was followed on March 14 by an explosion

which measured Magnitude 8.8 and had an intensity

at the No.3 reactor and on March 15 by explosions atof 7 on the Japanese “shindo” scale, was the largest to

the No.2 and No.4 reactors. But surprisingly, people

strike Japan in a very long time. In Fukushima City, theliving in the local area were not officially informed ofintensity was measured as a ‘6 Lower’. Nevertheless, thethese explosions at the time. Locally, we just thought

quake left my animal clinic and home in a total mess.

smoke was rising, but we had no detailed information.

There was literally no place to step, and I was shocked
speechless. Fortunately, the clinic itself was not too

This slide shows the flow of radioactivity from the plant.

badly damaged and we managed to keep our practice

As Dr. Ito explained just now, this line is the border ofoperating in one way or another, as it still does now.

Fukushima Prefecture. My home is about here. The
Fukushima Daiichi and Daini Nuclear Power Plants areThis slide shows Minamisoma City on the Pacific Oceana little to the south of where I live. First of all, very highside of Fukushima Prefecture where the tsunami swept

levels of radioactivity went up into the air and thenaway many private houses and other structures. I’ve

began to move southward. From the Fukushima border,

heard that in Miyagi Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture,

the radioactivity travelled far to the south, flowing into

the tsunami damage was far worse, but the situation in

the northern Kanto region. This was the radioactivity

parts of Fukushima was also very serious.

flow situation in April.

After the tsunami abated, the area it passed overFor my own reference, I studied the distribution of

had been reduced to piles of rubble with hardly any

nuclear power plants around the world. Japan isstanding structures to block the view to the horizon.

difficult to see on this slide, but it is just here. This time,

The roads were cut off, the railways didn’t work, andexplosions occurred at just one nuclear power plant,

almost the entire infrastructure was gone. The waterand the situation became so serious that it is being said

supply was cut off for ten days in Fukushima, andthat the entire world has been contaminated by thesince hospitals need water in order to function, every

radioactivity from that accident. So I think there is a

day we would travel 10 or 20km to obtain well waterneed reconsider the whole issue of nuclear power.

2nd Live Love Animals International Conference on Animal Care in Kobe 2012

65

The next slide shows the distribution of electrical powerand handling public donations. There was also a

generation plants in Japan. These here are all nuclear

facility called the Relief Headquarters Shelter, whichpower plants. Those marked in red are thermal power

closed down recently. This shelter was independently

plants, and those in blue are hydroelectric power plants.

established by the Relief Headquarters to protect

As you can see, these are the four reactor buildings

animals living inside the so-called evacuation or caution

at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant wherezone, which encompasses the area within 20km of the

explosions occurred. This big one is the No.6 reactor.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Of course,

Each of the reactors at the Fukushima Daini Nuclear

Fukushima Prefecture is receiving a lot of support.

Power Plant also has a very high power output. Had
explosions occurred at any of these reactors, I believe

In line with the acceptance of this Relief Headquarters,

the situation could have become even more serious.

Fukushima Prefecture also established a Rescue

You can also see thermal power plants located by the

Headquarters, with the prefecture’s Food Sanitation

ocean. There are a lot of these on the Pacific side of the

Department providing the head and Fukushima

country in Tohoku and Kanto.

Veterinary Medical Association providing the assistanthead of the headquarters. Also, volunteer organizations

These figures show the number of people confirmed

are providing various kinds of support including

dead and disappeared due to the earthquake andin Koriyama City and Iwaki City. Altogether, fivetsunami. In Miyagi and Iwate, there were many deadorganizations have come together to set up Fukushimaor disappeared and many evacuees. In Fukushima, asPrefecture Animal Rescue Headquarters. In Iwateof January 22nd, 2012, approximately 1,900 people

and Miyagi the respective prefectural veterinary

had been officially confirmed as dead, although thismedical associations provided the headquarters headnumber may differ from some other announcements.

position and made arrangements with the respective

Still today, 30,000 people evacuated from their homes

Prefectural Governments. But in the case of Fukushima,in Fukushima are living elsewhere inside the prefecture

the Prefectural Government had, in 2007, alreadyand 60,000 are living outside the prefecture. The

produced a disaster preparation manual for dealing

prefecture’s population is about 2 million, which means

with animals based on what had been learned fromthat about 3% of the population are currently living as

the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake. They had asked

evacuees outside the prefecture.

the Fukushima Veterinary Medical Association for its
cooperation with rescue activities. After setting up

The Headquarters for the Relief of Animals In

Fukushima Prefecture Animal Rescue Headquarters

Emergencies began its activities on March 14th. The

on April 15, this organization began collecting public

Japan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

donations and opened its Fukushima No.1 Shelter(JSPCA), the Japan Animal Welfare Society (JAWS), thewithin the month to take care of animals in need.

Japan Pet Care Association and the Japan Veterinary

However, Fukushima’s Animal Detention Center had

Medical Association (JVMA) also established teams,

been partially destroyed by the tsunami so Fukushima

and there is a Relief Headquarters that provides various

No.1 Shelter carried out the Center’s functions too,kinds of support to people when this kind of disaster

which made operations a little complicated.

strikes.
Fukushima Prefecture issued notices independently and66

A l t h o u g h I d o n’ t k n ow t h e d et a i ls , t h is R e l i e f

Prefectural Government staff performed vaccinations

Headquarters carries out a wide range of activities

and other tasks. But it took the lot of effort for thesuch as collecting information, replenishing supplies,

Prefectural Government to ask for the Veterinary

and forming task forces. They also provide support

Medical Association’s support. This was because thefor animal protection activities when evacuees makePrefectural Government itself was in a mess and its

temporary home visits, visiting evacuation centers,

staff members were performing various additional tasks

りぶ・らぶ・あにまるず 神戸アニマルケア国際会議 2012

inside the 20km radius such as recovering bodies ofFukushima Prefectural Government at which thethe dead. Under these circumstances, action for animal-

parties considered a variety of measures for protecting

related issues was delayed.

animals inside the 20km zone additional to the animal
protection measures conducted in conjunction withThis kind of situation came up again and again, as Dr.

temporary home visits.

Yamaguchi - who is with us today - knows only too
well. So we held a long succession of meetings with

Many evacuees gathered in comparatively large cities

the Ministry of the Environment. After that, I attended

such as Fukushima and Koriyama. This is an evacuation

meetings between the Prefectural Government and thecenter located in Azuma Sogo Undokoen Park in

Veterinary Medical Association on several occasions.

Fukushima City. At one time, 2,500 evacuees wereThings have not gone very smoothly because theaccommodated here.

disaster was on such a huge scale. It is so difficult todecide how to proceed and steer a clear course throughI can’t show you an overall view of the entire placemeetings of this kind.

because it is simply too wide. Fukushima Prefecture
didn’t recommend animal-accompanied evacuation. But

Apart from the Rescue Headquarters, Fukushimaeven so, many pet-lovers took their animal along with

Veterinary Medical Association set up a so-called ‘Pet

them during the evacuation. However, it was officially

Rescue Support Center’. The Association is divided into

decided that pets would not be allowed inside theseven branches, and we gave much consideration toevacuation centers. So, together with President Yamane

what each branch could do independently for animalsof the Japan Veterinary Medical Association, we triedevacuated together with their owners. The Fukushima

to find a building or other place to keep and protect

and Koriyama District Branches set up animal shelters

evacuated pets at the evacuation center. However theand took care of the rescued animals there. They also

facility operators refused to provide a place. They told

made rounds to provide animal health counseling.

us that this was no time for that sort of thing because

Moreover, each animal hospital was temporarily

they were already desperately trying to handle all

keeping animals that had been evacuated with their

the human evacuees. At that time, the situation wasowners and providing treatment support. Originally, we

indeed very severe, with a great many people crowded

were doing these things independently but the financial

together in a space without partitions and only able tosituation eventually became too severe so we turned toeat maybe one rice ball and piece of candy a day, etc. So

the Relief Headquarters for support. From May 18th,in such circumstances, when trying to raise the subject

we had to rely on the Relief Headquarters for treatmentof the animals, we were scolded by the facility manager:

aid. This allowed us to expand treatment for animals“What on earth are you saying? We have no time to bewhose owners were unknown. However, the aid had todealing with animals now.” That was how severe thebe terminated in October 2011 due to lack of funds. So

situation was for the administration. They were utterly

now we are providing health management for animals

incapable of considering the animal needs.

kept in shelters. Some veterinarians have applied to
the Ministry of the Environment for support and areThis next photograph shows the distribution ofassisting with activities inside the 20km zone.

food. Every day, volunteers would visit the placeand distribute food in this way. The evacuees would

These photographs depict the scenes at several different

cue for up to an hour at a time, three times a day, tomeetings. This first one was a meeting attended byreceive food. Everybody would stand in line holding a

Dr. Yamaguchi to set up Fukushima Prefecture Animalcorrugated cardboard box. If you had a three-member

Rescue Headquarters. This one was a meeting involving

family, you would be given food for three people. This

the on-site head of the Nuclear Emergency Response

procedure was repeated at every mealtime. WheneverHeadquarters, the Ministry of the Environment, anda person went outside, as soon as they returned inside

2nd Live Love Animals International Conference on Animal Care in Kobe 201267

the site they were measured for radiation. This was nothave two 5-meter-long tents and several cages. But asa form of discrimination but observing the situation

it was still cold at the time we didn’t think it would befirst hand made me feel uneasy all the same.

a very good idea to keep the animals in tents. So wethought about the problem some more and turned ourFrom late March, staff from my clinic began visiting

attention towards the bicycle parking space at Azuma

the evacuation center periodically. We asked theSogo Undokoen Park. A third of the area was normallyadministrators to prepare a table as shown here soused for bicycle parking and the other two thirds

that animal owners could come and consult with us if

for storage space for people working at a national

they were having problems. But some had taken theirathletics meeting held at the park. While our request

pets with them into the evacuation center against

was rejected initially, after some negotiations, it was

the instructions of the authorities. Even if they were

decided that we could use the central one-third of the

keeping their pet in their car, they hesitated to talkspace. As you can see, partitions were put up and thewith us. They had received confusing information

area floored and painted. We didn’t perform this work

including a rumor that if they admitted to having a pet

ourselves. There is an organization called Higashinihonwith them, it would be taken away by the Public Health

Pet Kinkyu Kyuenn Team (East Japan Pet Emergency

Department and euthanized. So, many people who had

Rescue Team: EJ- Pert). They were initially working inbrought their pets with them remained silent.

Ishinomaki but said they could come to Fukushima anddo this kind of work. So we left it entirely up to them.

On the surface this is an idyllic photograph. On this dayof fine weather, a pet owner has allowed their dog toThis photo was taken in June when the shelter was

sunbathe in a parking lot where there is ample space.

finally complete and open for use. It was decided that

Actually, the conditions were far from idyllic and theowners putting their pets into this shelter should form

reality behind the scene was pitiful.

a committee to manage its operation. This person here
became the chairman of the committee. He was also

I came upon this next scene unexpectedly. A mobile

an evacuee who evacuated together with his pet cat.

trimming group from Tokyo visited the place andAs it was difficult to take an animal into the evacuation

provided shampooing free of charge. Their services

center, he was staying with the animal in his car.

were very much appreciated.

However, he developed economy-class syndrome bydoing so. Fortunately, he recovered and then offered

As this photo shows, Azuma Sogo Undokoen Park had

to oversee the management of these pets. The photos

a makeshift pet corner where Prefectural Government

show an explanatory meeting where rules for keeping

staff and various volunteers posted notices about free

animals at the shelter are being spelled out. This is thepet food or pet sheets, and about keeping pets, etc.

person in charge of the facility.

However, according to the facility people, when they
put out large amounts of pet food it would disappear

This rather smart looking facility is the ‘dog village’in no time. All kinds of people would take it away. Thislocated in the bicycle parking area I mentioned before.

demonstrates that action taken to ameliorate a given

This is a trimming room space and, since there issituation can end up creating fresh problems.

hot water on tap, dogs can also be shampooed here.
Originally this place was just a bare concrete facility

We wanted to set up a facility where those pets being

but by adding air conditioners here and there, what was

kept in cars could be kept in a more relaxed anda former bicycle lot became a reasonably comfortablecomfortable environment. We asked the people runningplace..

Azuma Sogo Undokoen Park about this many times

68

but could not get a favorable response. Actually, weThis is a photograph taken when the shelter was

first asked Fukushima Prefecture who told us we could

completed. The team staff and the director of Azuma

りぶ・らぶ・あにまるず 神戸アニマルケア国際会議 2012

Sogo Undokoen Park said he had appreciated all the

ask the vets about various problems. This scene shows

hard work that so many people had put into making the

Koriyama City officials talking with staff from the

shelter. After the completion he was very cooperative

evacuees’ municipalities to see how things might be

and helpful to us.

improved at the facility because people would not beable to continue living in tents forever.

This is a radioactivity measurement I took while driving.
I was so shocked to see this figure that I turned off theThis is Dr. Watanabe. Both he and his wife arecounter from then onwards.

veterinarians. Their home is about 9km from the
Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant in Tomioka, andThis is one of EJ-Pert’s vans. Some of their staff were

they had to evacuate after the earthquake. Dr. Watanabe

staying in it.

had animal patients in his care and he brought themwith him to Koriyama where his wife’s family home is

The following day we were conducting health checks onlocated. He rents a barn nearby to accommodate these

the animals just before letting them into the shelter. We

animals and is operating this facility independently.

were administering vaccinations, parasiticides and flea

Despite being a victim of the disaster himself, he works

larvicides, but so many reporters from the mass media

hard to obtain food and drugs for the animals and toflooded us that we became unable to do our work.

keep running this facility.

This is a different evacuation center located at a

As this photo shows, a dog has given birth to someconvention center in Koriyama City called Big Palette

puppies. And there are also large dogs at the facility.

Fukushima. This evacuation center was even larger
than the one at Azuma Sogo Undokoen Park that weThis is the No.1 Shelter at Iino on the outskirts ofhave just been looking at. At its peak, the center held

Fukushima City. The shelter was started up in a rented

2,700 evacuees. Even the walkways were crowded withwarehouse. Its general appearance is poor, and thepeople taking shelter. Inside the building the situation

management unlikely to win much praise but, under

was also terrible, although things might have been

the circumstances, things had to be done this way. The

worse if there had not been partitions.

facility housed over 200 dogs at the peak of operations.
The operators did their best to manage things despite

So as to create a facility for keeping animals, Koriyamaa shortage of manpower. They received criticism from

City borrowed tents from nearby municipalities. Threevarious quarters but circumstances were forced upontents were set up: one for large dogs, one for smallthem in that Fukushima Prefecture took control. Thisdogs, and one for cats.

meant that there was little room for flexibility. We at
the Veterinary Medical Association were in a dilemmaThis next photo is not concerned with animals but

because we could have done something more but,with bathing. The Special Defense Forces prepared hot

ultimately, Fukushima Prefecture was making thewater. There is a front room for changing clothes anddecisions.

behind that is a bath for women. From the small sizeof the bath, one can imagine how serious the situation

As I explained before, the Association received a request

was.

for support from this place in the middle of May but
we were unable to visit at that time. These photos were

When I was visiting Big Palette Fukushima, Koriyama

taken when we made our first visit in June. In such a

Veterinary Medical Association happened to besituation, we can’t say that the environment was good.

holding a health course session which had attracted

The place has three buildings: this is the building wherean enthusiastic attendance. A huge number of people

the dogs are kept, there is another building for the cats,

had formed a queue to get their pets vaccinated or toand a third building serving as a warehouse. The dog

2nd Live Love Animals International Conference on Animal Care in Kobe 201269

in this photo is not weak but he is frantic. This one is

We hardly saw any officers of Fukushima Prefecturaldehydrated and in very poor condition.

Police Department because they had been dispersed
here and there. To help maintain order, SDF personnel

This is the inside of the warehouse. We received aand police from other prefectural departments came to

lot of support from all over the nation and from the

Fukushima from all over Japan. That situation remains

Rescue Headquarters. I’m not saying there was noeven now. Officially, people cannot enter the 20km zone

shortage of supplies, but the distribution of goods was

but various volunteers nevertheless do enter in ordercomparatively smooth.

to capture or feed animals by either coming over themountains or from the sea. These volunteers continue

This is the cat facility. The space is narrow and theto defy security personnel even now.

building had problems such as a leaking roof.
To officially enter the 20km zone, permission is needed
As an office, this place is rather shabby - the staff also

from the head of the local municipality. But suchtake rest breaks in here - but even in such an untidy

permission is hardly ever granted. After the earthquake

place, Dr. Aki Tanaka, who visited from UC Davis, gave

struck, security was initially very poor. When I entereda lecture on shelter medicine and how to conduct

the zone, I saw that the doors of all the private homes

veterinary management under shelter conditions. After

had been forced open so that the living rooms were left

this visit, she made a further four visits to Fukushima toin full view from the road. Every private home had been

give advice.

burgled.

I can’t say much regarding the current situation within

This place had taken in all the neighboring farmers’

the 20km zone because I have only entered the area

cows. The animals at the back were all dead, but after

once. So I will just tell you what I saw and felt there,

obtaining permission, we periodically visited to feed thevisiting as a layman.

surviving animals.

According to a report by Fukushima Prefectural

This next photo taken around April is one that I have

Government issued in August 2011, there wereborrowed. As we had expected, the animals abandoned

approximately 10,000 cats and dogs living in the so-in enclosed environments such as cowsheds werecalled evacuation zone prior to the disaster, including

already dead. I don’t know how things are now but, atboth registered and unregistered animals. Of these,that time, the animals could not be buried without firstjust over a quarter of them perished in the tsunami.

obtaining permission.

The head count of evacuees accompanied by animals
was small. The figures given here are basically guesses.

As you can see from these photos, the roads were

Volunteers subsequently rescued about 2,000 animals.

blocked or totally destroyed almost everywhere so weOf the remaining 5,000 or so, about 80% have since

couldn’t travel by car. We had no choice but to walk.

died of starvation or debility. Animals left in enclosed

At first glance this may look like an ordinary road but

places would have died within about a month. As athe surface has in fact turned into an undulating series

result, it seems that approximately 400 pet animals areof ridges and troughs making it impossible for cars tostill surviving inside the zone.

drive on. These houses also look OK on first glance but
in fact they have partially collapsed.

This photo shows us on a visit into the 20km zone,
making plans at the Bajikoen equestrian park.

This is a chicken farm in Okuma. Of course, all thechickens were dead.

I don’t know what the situation is like now, but in Junethe inspection process at the checkpoint was very strict.

70

りぶ・らぶ・あにまるず 神戸アニマルケア国際会議 2012

This is a scene we witnessed often. This dog is wearing

a collar, so it was somebody’s pet. As you can see, it has

Although the cows in the cowsheds were all dead, thebeen dead for quite a long time.

released cows were doing very well. When this photo
was taken, it was still June so grass and water wereThese photos were taken in Tomioka, at a location moreabundant. The cows were not at all thin. In fact theyor less 10km north of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear

were sleek and running around energetically, althoughPower Plant. These were animals that had been kept

I don’t know how they are doing now. Perhaps Dr. Satoat a school. Of course, they had all died. There would

will tell us about that later.

be no end if we started considering all possibilities,
but I think we had better start to think about what canThis is the entrance to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear

be done to save animals kept in schools when major

Power Plant. By this point in time, the radiation leveldisasters occur.

had already reached approx. 50 microsieverts, even if
you are inside a car.

A farmer who had been evacuated asked us to check on
his animals inside the 20km zone and to feed them if

When we were driving along the national highways,

they were still alive, so we visited that farm and foundhere and there dogs would come out from the side ofsome animals alive. We wanted to take this cat backthe road. When they saw the car they would come up

with us but as she had kittens and we couldn’t findquite close but then keep a distance of 5 to 10 meters.

them, we decided to leave her behind but we gave her

They would never come any closer than that. These

plenty of food and water and returned again later. Thisbags containing food had been scattered by the staff

farmer had been raising small cattle. This picture showsof the nuclear power plant and the police department.

a blue sheet covering a dead cow.

On first glance, they may look sealed but they had been
partly opened so that the animals could eat while theThis is a pig farm located about 3km from the nuclear

bulk of the food inside doesn’t get wet when it rains.

power plant. Looking closely, you can see that here are
the back legs, and here is the waist and the backbone

This photo was taken very close to Namie Station.

of an animal. There are signs that this had once been a

Namie is not a very big town, but here, just 50 meters

living creature. This was the scene before we enteredfrom the railway station, we found a pig having a goodthe barn. I was prepared for the possibility of far worse

time wallowing in a puddle. When we came closer, theinside. Indeed, these photos depict the situation within.

animal and its companion adeptly disappeared down

Pigs were laying dead one on top of the other. This wasan alley, and we later found that they were living ina very large pig farm, but basically all pig farms werea private home on a wooden floor. They could by nolike this. In enclosed piggeries, all the pigs were dead.

stretch of the imagination be described as thin. All in

The white substance here is hydrated lime. I don’t know

all, it seems that released or escaped animals such as

how significant that is, as hydrated lime is routinely

pigs and also ostriches have done comparatively well inscattered in such places as a bactericide.

the wild.

It seems that these piglets were able to get out of the

Incidentally, we captured several dogs here toobuilding but they then fell into this tank and drowned

and took them back with us. However, due to thewhile trying to drink the water. When we were getting

regulations in force, these dogs were not allowed into

ready to go back, about five living pigs appeared. We

the Fukushima No.1 Shelter. I will explain about this awere astonished. This piglet had grown very thin andlittle later on.

was badly in need of a drink, so we gathered the waterfrom our bottles and gave it to the piglet which drank

Although evacuees can return temporarily to theirit down voraciously. Unfortunately, while we felt great

homes by car now, between May and August 2011,

sorrow, we could not take it back with us.

they were only allowed to collect a limited number of

2nd Live Love Animals International Conference on Animal Care in Kobe 201271

items from their homes by putting them into the plastic

could do something more than just temporary visits

bags shown here. It was a very miserable situation.

into the 20km zone and we conducted a couple ofoperations. However, regulations led to a decisionThis may have been indiscreet, but we couldn’t resist

under which all civilians, even veterinarians, would

taking a snap of what now seems to be such an irony -not be allowed into the zone. So the trial plan ended

a signboard which says: “Nuclear Power, Bright Futurewith those two operations. It was decided that animal

Energy”. So our team used it as the backdrop for a

rescue activities inside the evacuation zone would becommemorative photograph.

conducted by the Ministry of the Environment andFukushima Prefectural Government, and that civilians

While we were in Minamisoma, we got a call from theshould not enter the zone.

Director-General of the Nuclear Emergency Response
Headquarters, who requested us to come to the

We conducted a survey to find out what was going

Prefectural Government Office immediately. So weon in the zone with regard to animal rescue activities,

set off from Bajikoen for the Prefectural Government

although this was only for a short while in April and

Office, where we met him. He is also a parliamentary

May. Also, we carried out animal rescue activities

secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Trade andtogether with the evacuees’ temporary home visits

Industry and told us that the National Government

from May 10th to August 26th. The animals rescued

had received a variety of requests about pets. Could

from the zone are kept in shelters managed by thethe Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters do

Rescue Headquarters which is operated jointly by the

anything about pets in the evacuation zone apart from

Prefecture and the Veterinary Medical Association.

making temporary visits? So the Headquarters wanted

At present there are two shelters. The Prefecture wasto perform some additional activities aside from thoseplanning to open a third shelter, but this probably won’t

that the Ministry of the Environment was carrying out.

be realized. So we are now considering how to continue

This is from a blog entry that he posted at that time.

keeping rescued animals with only the current two
shelters.

We were now going into the 20km zone regularly andso we told the people at that meeting what the situation

This shows the situation when we entered theinside the zone was like. There were about 20 officials

20km zone for the first time. The head count wasn’present from the Ministry of Economy, Trade andt very high. The Prefecture and the Ministry of theIndustry and the Ministry of the Environment, and we

Environment measured the animals’ external exposure

discussed with them what we could do.

to radioactivity. The readings were up to 71,000cpm
at the maximum time. Decontamination is considered

A few days later, we had another meeting with thenecessary for anything over 100,000cpm but as most

Director-General of the Nuclear Emergency Responseof the levels measured were much lower the animals

Headquarters and these three people from the Ministrywere considered not to have any internal exposureof Economy, Trade and Industry. This person is the Headproblems. These days, people are questioning theirof Fukushima Prefecture’s Food Sanitation Department

animals’ exposure, but I think this is an issue for thein addition to acting as the Head of Fukushima

future.

Prefecture Animal Rescue Headquarters. This individual72

is from the Ministry of the Environment, this is Dr.

Continuing on the subject of this survey, in May, pet

Baba and here are members of Fukushima Veterinary

owners tentatively visited their homes. They foundMedical Association. Despite a situation in which there

their pets, put them into cages or tied them up outsidewere delicate differences in thinking between the twofor subsequent collection. In this way, we rescued many

ministries, we pushed ahead with a plan by whichanimals. After we went in, private organizations were

Fukushima Veterinary Medical Association members

allowed into the zone for the first time towards the end

りぶ・らぶ・あにまるず 神戸アニマルケア国際会議 2012

of the year. They captured animals under the condition
that they would take full responsibility for the care of

In April of last year, a conference with a very long

the animals they captured.

name was held and various people throughout Japan
including college teachers linked their names to it.

This shows details about animals rescued between May

The conference was aimed not at helping animals per

and August during the course of temporary owner visitsse, but at helping the veterinarians affected by theto their homes. The head count of animals rescued

disaster. Although no veterinarians died in the disaster,in this way was 300 dogs and 191 cats. In addition,

a number of them did lose their hospitals. In Fukushima

many animals were found to have died of dehydration,

there are some who can’t return to their homes oretc. It was summertime, and even among the rescued

hospitals as their locality remains contaminated byanimals, a great many were half dead. The number ofradioactivity. This conference was set up in order to bepets returned to their owners was unexpectedly small.

of some small assistance to these veterinarians.

Since this rescue activity was carried out together withthe temporary visits, pet owner identities were clear in

Under the title of ‘Disaster Area Backup Seminar fromalmost all cases. But even so, many owners were still

Hokkaido’, some university professors and private

living in evacuation centers and not yet in a position

tutors are holding periodic seminars to cheer on theto take back their pets immediately. Even now, about

veterinarians in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima.

three-quarters of the animals living in the shelters
have not been transferred because their owners have

The Japanese Board of Veterinary Practitioners

not given up their ownership. So for how long these

held this forum in September. Here too, there wasshelters should continue to be operated is a major issue

an earthquake disaster corner, and our association,

for the future.

including several veterinarians affected by the disaster,
made presentations.

In the wake of the disaster, many Prefectural
Government staff from all over Japan came to give us

This is the Animal Clinical Research Foundation, which

their help or to otherwise support us in our various

is under the directorship of Dr. Yoshihisa Yamane,activities, and this help is still continuing today.

President of the JVMA. We have obtained enormous
support from this organization including raising a large

Members of the Task Force including myself are trying

amount of relief money for Fukushima and the disasterto explain to people across the county the actualarea, and their help in putting up posters, etc.

conditions in Tohoku through talks at academic societies
and elsewhere. Last June, two of our members, bothThis is the No.2 Shelter which was finally completed

veterinarians affected personally by the disaster, talked

in October 2011. The construction was delayed due

about the reality of the situation in the disaster area at

to many problems including the failure to achieve

an academic society called the West Japan Veterinaryconsensus (despite holding many meetings), andForum (WJVF).

financing problems. On first impression the facility hasa somewhat gaudy design. This is because we borrowed

This is an organization called ‘Dobutsu Kazoku no Kai’and converted a building that was originally a pachinko(the Animal Family Society). At this meeting last July,

parlor. The land area is very spacious with mountains

we talked about a variety of subjects. The society set

on this side and private homes over that way. Here you

about sending a 40-foot trailer and a 20-foot trailer

can see a wide parking area. It looks as if it could be ato the disaster area. This photo shows people writing

roof playing field, but it is actually a holding area. This

words of encouragement on the side of a trailer afteris where the animals are kept. Two trailers presented

the meeting finished. Dr. Ishida is one of the people

by Dobutsu Kazoku no Kai are parked outside of thiswriting.

area. The smaller one originally went to Ishinomaki but

2nd Live Love Animals International Conference on Animal Care in Kobe 201273

after their shelter closed down it was moved here.

more and more. At present it only amounts to half ofwhat we request so in reality the money isn’t coming in

Although I only have a few photos of this facility, this is

as much as we had expected which is a big problem.

the dog room and this is the cat room. In both the No.1
and the No.2 Shelters, veterinarians affected by the

In future, we will need at least 5 million yen per monthdisaster are in residence as shelter management vets.

to keep the two shelters operating. Now we are in thecold season, so will need several hundred thousand

This chart shows the shelter’s basic operating system.

yen extra to cover the additional heating and electricity

In principle, Fukushima Prefecture’s Animal Relief

costs. Added to this problem, Fukushima Prefecture

Headquarters is in control. However, for this facility, therecently told us it would no longer provide public

Chairman of Fukushima Veterinary Medical Association

funding for medical expenses. So we are now trying

is the responsible official. The facility is divided into

to get by on only the public funding and donations

three departments, namely, the Clerical Department,

coming in to the Veterinary Medical Association. For

Medical Department, and Rearing Management

the future, we have several expensive items on the

Department. Each department has its own chief andwaiting list. For example, when we return the pachinko

sub-chief.

parlor to its owners, we will have to restore it to its
former condition. Even closing the shelter will cost a lot

As of January 15th, 2012, the head count of animals

of money.

kept in the No.2 Shelter was 540 dogs and 212 cats.
Recently, the figures have changed because animals are

There are a great many problems. One issue for thegradually being transferred from No.1 Shelter to No.2

future is that Fukushima Prefecture and Fukushima

Shelter.

Veterinary Medical Association don’t have the ability to
produce a manual on how to rescue animals in times ofThis is an animal facility in a temporary housing area.

major disaster. The thing I wish to emphasize most of

Fukushima Prefecture and each of the municipalities

all is that we want the Central Government to take thedevastated by the disaster requested public funds

initiative in producing a concrete manual. Also, how wefor such facilities, but all were turned down. This is acollect money and how we use it are both important.

facility in Koriyama, which was made by the privatesector team I introduced earlier.

It is also important to make the “way out” of the shelters
as smooth as possible for the animals. If owners of the

As for public relief funds, Fukushima Prefecture

pets being kept in the shelters would agree to give up

discussed a variety of projects with us and we received

their ownership, we can take various measures such asa total of about 160 million yen. Of this, the allocationtransferring them, etc. But currently, up to 70 to 80% of

for the Rescue Headquarters was 93 million yen.

owners are not prepared to relinquish their ownership,

We have used these funds for the various activities

so we don’t know what we can do. The Prefecture of

I have introduced, and we currently have 60 million

the Central Government will try to persuade pet owners

yen in operating funds for the two shelters. We needto give up ownership, but the efforts may only lead to

between 5 and 6 million yen per month to cover shelter

additional psychological distress for owners. Obviously

operating expenses so, even with 60 million yen left,

the appeals cannot be made too forcefully.

we only have enough to keep the two shelters going forten more months.

Animal accompanied evacuation also requires largescale organization and we believe there should be

74

We have continued applying for public funding. In

a manual covering this. Otherwise, even though wethe beginning, we were able to get 100% of what werecommend animal accompanied evacuation, a variety

requested, but over time funding has been cut backof problems will continue to occur such as evacuation

りぶ・らぶ・あにまるず 神戸アニマルケア国際会議 2012

centers refusing to accept animals. We certainly wantsomething to be done about this.
There are also problems relating to publicity. For
example, because of the radioactive contamination
situation, not many volunteers are prepared to come to
Fukushima. We would like to ask you all what we cando about this.
Yet another issue concerns the No.2 Shelter I have beentalking about. It would be best if Fukushima Prefecture
could operate the facility but, if that proves impossible,w e w o u l d l i k e F u k u s h i m a Ve t e r i n a r y M e d i c a l
Association or an NPO to keep it running so that it canstay in operation one way or another. By doing this we
can at least leave a positive legacy for the future aboutanimal rescue efforts in Fukushima.
In addition, I feel strongly that we must popularize
continuous disaster preparedness training as well as
discipline training and microchipping for pets, etc.
Thank you very much for listening.

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