6 Ways You Can Help Animals In Need In Japan

As reports and images of the tragic aftermath caused by the earthquake in Japan last Friday continue to pour in, organizations from around the world are stepping up efforts to lend a hand.

Though there continues to be a dire need to help the people in Japan, animals affected by the disaster are also in need of assistance. Many Japanese families include beloved pets, which can be easily lost in the confusion of a catastrophe. Also, some shelters don't allow animals, which has left many pet owners without access to much needed services.

Both Japanese agencies and nonprofits from around the world are heeding the call by providing on the ground search and rescue and badly needed resources for Japanese animals affected by the devastation. Here are some organizations making an impact for these animals and their owners.

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Animal Refuge Kansai

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After the 1995 "Great Hanshni-Awaji" earthquake, the Animal Rescue Kansai (ARK) played an integral part in rescuing and assisting abandoned and lost animals. Using helicopters, ARK saved over 600 animals. During the current catastrophe, they are drawing on that experience to ready resources for what they believe will be an even larger rescue effort. They have begun to build facilities and are awaiting instructions from Japanese authorities. Supporters can help animals in need by making a donation to ARK.

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After the 1995 "Great Hanshni-Awaji" earthquake, the Animal Rescue Kansai (ARK) played an integral part in rescuing and assisting abandoned and lost animals. Using helicopters, ARK saved over 600 animals.

During the current catastrophe, they are drawing on that experience to ready resources for what they believe will be an even larger rescue effort. They have begun to build facilities and are awaiting instructions from Japanese authorities.

Supporters can help animals in need by making a donation to ARK.

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Comments

[Rob McMillin]

11:22 AM on 03/21/2011

Anyone considering donating to the (incorrectly named in this slide show) National Disaster Search Dog Foundation should read this analysis of their activities first.

http://cynography.blogspot.com/2011/03/nine-questions-i-would-ask.html

[collettethehedgehog]

03:07 AM on 03/22/2011

Thanks.

[ashabot]

12:13 PM on 03/20/2011

I sent the largest donation I've even given to what turns out to have a mere one star rating at Charity Navigator, Humane Society International. I wish I'd checked first or read this link. :(

[Papua Piig]

07:13 AM on 03/20/2011

This is a video of some of the pets in Japan now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5g5GMjg6Ww Please donate. There is so much to be done to save them. Please pass on to spread the word. The animals are running out of time.

[alk24471]

02:38 AM on 03/19/2011

Animals who have been rescued in Japan will be killed if not claimed within 72 hours! We can stop this! Imagine you survived the quake, ended up in a shelter worried sick about your pet. You hear that she has been rescued, only to have been "euthanized" because you were not able to claim her with in 72 hours.

https://www.examiner.com/dog-rescue-in-national/unclaimed-pets-japan-s-devastated-areas-have-less-than-72-hours-left-to-live

[ehomer]

08:08 AM on 03/19/2011

Thank you for posting this! This just makes the tragedy greater.

[ashabot]

12:13 PM on 03/20/2011

Thanks for the link. F/F

[fourtruth]

02:32 AM on 03/19/2011

It will be a tremendous healing for many Japanese people reunited with thier pets - I believe we will see many heart tugging stories - some good endings some not so much - I cannot imagine the horror on top of horror of losing a pet in all this and not knowing their fate.

Best wishes to all.

And those rescue workers - again I must repeat - there are no words to express thank you enough - including the rescue dogs - heros ALL.

[Angie Daniels]

07:59 PM on 03/18/2011

The dog in the first photo looks just like my furkid. Long live furkids!
And lest we forget, dogs had a job before they became pets in the past. My dog, a cocker spaniel, was originally bred to flush woodcocks. And believe me, in a disaster, (or hell, just in a walk around the neighborhood) she has catalogued EVERY squirrel, small bird and fish in the stream in the neighborhood. She knows how to catch them and she brings them to me. (I don't let her but once she got the squirrel before I could stop her). In a catastrophe where food was in scarce demand, I bet my dog is the one that's able to find enough for us to eat. She's also a mad scavenger. Might not be my preferred food, but it'd be better than starving. And when it's cold, she's VERY snuggly.

So save your dogs, save your cats, save your kids, save your husband, 'cause they castrophying everybody up here.

[Norma Molina]

07:58 PM on 03/18/2011

I'm utterly speech less and in tears...

[alk24471]

02:39 AM on 03/19/2011

the animals who were rescued will be killed in a few days. We can stop this

https://www.examiner.com/dog-rescue-in-national/unclaimed-pets-japan-s-devastated-areas-have-less-than-72-hours-left-to-live

[doctordoubt]

11:49 AM on 03/21/2011

False!

[dontbelieveinmyths]

05:41 PM on 03/24/2011

Good, then it's time to act on those feelings!!! :)

[Roadrun]

07:25 AM on 03/18/2011

If I were a rich man ....... but I'm not so I gave what I could and now I give more because somehow I forgot about those animals who give us a conscience. I would no sooner run off in an emergency without ALL of my family than I would eat without feeding all of my family. Then again, I just have never been in a situation so dire as what this country is going through.

There is a special place reserved for those who will give shelter from the storm to animals.

[shuffleoff]

01:55 PM on 03/18/2011

F&F Roadrun...couldn't have said it better...

[stella801]

01:45 AM on 03/19/2011

f/f....your heart is in the same place as mine. Beautifully said.

[mamacat]

06:49 AM on 03/18/2011

I was reading that the most pressing need right now is for blankets, as there is not enough heating. It may seem cruel, but if I have to choose between helping a human in the Japanese snow, and a suffering animal, I will attempt to make a blanket out of the fur of the animal.

[Insightful]

03:06 PM on 03/18/2011

You have a disturbed sense of balance. A lot of animals give their lives for their owners. We owe them for their selfless loyalty. They take a lot of abuse from people like you.

[Issaquah79]

04:29 PM on 03/18/2011

Thanks for the survival tip psycho mama.

[LogicCircuit]

04:38 AM on 03/18/2011

Donated to all 6. Good way to start the day I figure.

[CabinAgue]

12:44 PM on 03/18/2011

I decided to give to just one and chose Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue Support Group but I cannot get the link above to respond.  Did you give via that link?

[LogicCircuit]

12:53 PM on 03/18/2011

I did, last night. But it seems the platform they are using for collecting donations experiences heavy traffic at the moment. I imagine waiting a couple of minutes or hours should mean the link will work again.

This is from the group's Facebook: "Chip-in is experiencing heavy traffic and may be very slow. If you would like to donate now, all of the organizations on this page are friends of this group and are working as hard as we are to save the animals in this disaster. They would appreciate your support too. http://www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters/japan_quake/notes.html"

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Japan-Earthquake-Animal-Rescue-and-Support/207835229228979

[Chaucea]

03:47 AM on 03/18/2011

I found a site that's been gathering information from various resources to document the status of the zoos and aquariums located in affected areas:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kurikararyuou/e/7bb8dd02a9706d4b9f20ddfec3fce1f6&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&usg=ALkJrhiQi538CV0HXnbOulHU_T0DQnKtjA

[Gardall]

11:58 AM on 03/18/2011

Thank you for the link.

[lostnspace]

01:02 AM on 03/18/2011

To the hell with those who say, "people first." Why not both? I help and direct my charity to whoever the hell I please.

[mamacat]

06:51 AM on 03/18/2011

Yes indeed, to hell with the people. Those who chose to build the nuclear reactors without adequate safety measures would no doubt agree with you.

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

04:51 PM on 03/19/2011

People are not considered of any importance to a lot of animalists. I'm sure the little children who are in shelters now had a lot of voice in the design and building of the reactors. They also caused the earthquake and tsunami that devasted the reactors and comminties in Japan. Porportionality is not a strong trait for a lot of people.

[sociocanuck]

01:00 AM on 03/18/2011

Very glad to see WSPA on the list. I proudly donate to them monthly, and was quite happy to see how quickly they responded to rescuing animals.

Obviously this story could generate a lot of snark about focusing on animals instead of people, but that's what UNICEF and 'Save the Children' are there for, too.

[Sol76]

09:57 PM on 03/17/2011

Their fur, tendency to lick themselves and inability to comprehend nuclear power makes pets and animals in general more vulnerable to radiation sickness than human beings. In this time of need it is good that some organisations are concerned with animal welfare, even if those rescued are the rare exceptions.

[Master-T]

09:25 PM on 03/17/2011

The disgraceful people commenting with things like "people first" can go to Hades. Animals are constantly helping humans. CONSTANTLY. Now they need our help and you say "people first"? What a disgrace. There's plenty of human resources to go around and some of those should be dedicated to assisting those who are completely helpless - animals. How about showing some REAL humanity and understanding animals need our help in times of crisis. I couldn't care less about comparisons about who is more deserving. An animal in need is deserving of our help just as much as a human in need. Anyone who would walk by an animal in need in this crisis is not someone I would want to know.

I've donated to two of these organizations. Anyone who loves animals should donate, even a small amount helps. It's the cumulative effort that counts.

[mamacat]

06:55 AM on 03/18/2011

I respectfully disagree.

[Kristin Talbott]

01:56 PM on 03/18/2011

Yeah, we get that.

I've seen you make your point three times and I've only scrolled through a few of the comments.

Why don't you do us all a favor and actually go help some humans instead of hanging out here and wagging your disapproving finger at us time and time and time again?

[stella801]

01:49 AM on 03/19/2011

I agree. f/f