Angels With Fur Japan

Cat for Adoption: Taisho

Shaney — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:00:22 +0000

Taisho is a purebred 1-year-old Bengal male. His story is, unfortunately, a typical one. He was purchased at a pet shop and, later, when his owner became pregnant, put outside and expected to live out of doors 24 hours a day. He was fed dog food. A kind-hearted neighbor took pity on the bewildered kitten, who spent all his time under an old car in the backyard. At 6 months of age he was taken to a rescue as the owners obviously had no interest in him. Taisho loves people and craves attention round the clock. He is quite a talker and will sit on your lap and carry on a conversation with you if you like. He is go, go, go and only settles when he is put to bed in his cage for the night. With the right family, Taisho will surely become calmer. But he will always likely be a chatty, slightly demanding, but very sweet and friendly beauty of a Bengal.

(Photo by Susan Roberts)

Interested in Adopting Taisho?

Please email ARK at tokyoark[at]arkbark.net or call 080-6146-3889 (English) or 080-6517-8913 (Japanese). Tokyo ARK is a nonprofit organization founded by Brit Elizabeth Oliver. It is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals. All animals are vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped. Prospective new owners undergo a screening process.

The Japan Times supports stray and abandoned animals by editing and printing this photo box every Saturday in the Weekend/People section of the paper.

Help the Hirakata Project: Japan Cat Network

Shaney — Sat, 03 May 2008 04:37:56 +0000

The following article is from the Japan Times. David and Susan are members of Angels with Fur. I hope that our group can help them with this important work.

The Japan Cat Network, a grassroots animal welfare group in Shiga Prefecture organized and run by David Wybenga and his wife, Susan Roberts, has put out a plea for help with its Hirakata City Project. Initially featured in The Japan Times on Jan. 26 of this year, the network was asked in March to check out a park near the city of Hirakata, located between Osaka and Kyoto.

The situation at Yamada-Ike Koen was dire, utterly shocking. More than 50 cats, in various stages of health and disease, were found roaming the park. There were no signs of a TNR (trap, neuter, release)
program such as Japan Cat Network promotes, and none of the males appeared to be neutered. Two of the park cats were so ill that they had to be taken to a vet immediately.

In April, the group trapped 28 cats, most of them female, and had them neutered. More trapping is scheduled for this weekend and the following week. Wybenga calls the project “amazing”, one that he believes has the power “to change public perception in Kansai”. “Of all the projects I’ve been involved
in, this is the one to get behind.”

In the meantime, five kittens, then 2 weeks old, were found abandoned in a cardboard box in a park restroom. Two were already dead. Three survived and are thriving and being fed every four hours. This past Monday, four more kittens were found abandoned. One had already died. These kittens and others were all taken in.

“Busy and sleepy,” the Wybengas have their hands full. “Once we finish one round of feeding it’s almost time for the next.” And, with presently 11 kittens on the bottle, the network is out of money and in desperate need of help, but determined to keep the project going.

The group is in need of experienced kitten fosterers, loving adoptive homes, money and milk replacement powder (Esbilac for cats). Also, Wybenga says, “if someone is in the area and wants to
participate more directly, contact me.”

Contact info[AT]japancatnet.com by e-mail or check out the group’s homepage at http://www.japancatnet.com.

Esbilac can be sent to:
David Wybenga,
173 Inae,
Hikone, Shiga,
521-1125

Dog for Adoption: Bolo

tokyoark — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:00:06 +0000

Bolo is a 10-year-old golden retriever with a sad history, but one who has pulled through with a love of people that is, in its purity, almost heart-wrenching to see. Like some of the other animals featured here in the past, Bolo has special needs. These needs make him less likely to be adopted, even though he has a heart of gold and a personality to match. When Bolo was first rescued and brought to ARK, he was little more than skin and bone. The years of malnourishment caused him to develop a skin condition that still requires steroids and weekly bathing to keep in check. Still, though 10, Bolo is truly a puppy at heart. He loves to play with toys and run and tumble with people and there is no greater joy for him than being petted and having his tummy tickled. There is no greater joy perhaps other than finding someone to cherish him, someone to cherish him with a love that is more than skin deep.

(Photo by Kentaro Washi)

Interested in Adopting Bolo?

The Japan Times supports stray and abandoned animals by editing and printing this photo box every Saturday in the Weekend/People section of the paper.

Success Story: Lime

tokyoark — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:00:48 +0000

The Japan Times and Tokyo ARK have given Angels with Fur kind permission to reprint notices regarding pet adoptions (see: potential pets who have been featured on the Angels with Fur site). In addition to requests for adoption, they also publish success stories about pets who find new homes. Here is the latest success story.

Lime, a wire-haired dachsund, was initially featured on March 3. It was to prove to be her lucky day, the day Jean Kawabe returned to Japan from the U.S. Staying at a Tokyo hotel, she picked up the paper. ‘‘There was something in her eyes,’’ Kawabe says of Lime. The Fukuoka resident called immediately to inquire about Lime, went to her foster home the next day and the adoption was settled. Lime is now happily ensconced in her new home, where she enjoys walks in the huge yard and basks in the luxury of baths. Lime has many friends, including Kawabe’s other dog and the housekeeper, with whom she has fallen in love. Unfortunately, Lime was not in the best of health. She had been forced by the breeder to produce continuous litters of puppies. Her heart was weakened and she had arthritis and other health concerns. Thanks to Kawabe, however, who is also president of the Ohori Lions Club and the Fukuoka chapter of Ikebana International, Lime has receieved the best possible care and her vet says she will live to a ripe old age. From The Japan Times and ARK, may we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Jean Kawabe. Thank you so much for taking dear Lime into your loving home.

(Photo by Minako Sasaki)

Interested in Adopting a Pet?

The Japan Times supports stray and abandoned animals by editing and printing this photo box every Saturday in the Weekend/People section of the paper.

Cat for Adoption: Neeta

tokyoark — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:00:52 +0000

Neeta may look familiar to regular readers of this blog. Indeed, she is the sister of Tetta, a special-needs kitten who found a home in late February. As an abandoned kitten, Neeta, like her brother, suffered terribly from the cold and lack of food before being rescued. Their eyes were damaged, but both kittens, with medical attention, are showing great signs of improvement. Neeta, now 6 months old, has been very shy, but has finally come out of her shell. She is quite the friendly little soul and would surely make a lovely addition to a caring home. Neeta needs someone who can look beyond her foggy eyes and see the warm and curious nature of a gem of a kitten now ready to bravely explore her new world.

(Photo by Kyoko Harada)

Interested in Adopting Neeta?

The Japan Times supports stray and abandoned animals by editing and printing this photo box every Saturday in the Weekend/People section of the paper.

Dog for Adoption: Yuu

tokyoark — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:00:46 +0000

Yuu’s story before he came to ARK eight months ago was not, to put it mildly, a pleasant one. Rescued from nothing less than a living hell at a breeder in Tokyo’s Itabashi, Yuu spent the first eight months of his life shut tightly in a wire cage. He was given food and water on occasion, not every day, and was surrounded by hunger-crazed dogs kept in conditions truly too horrid to describe here. Many of the dogs starved to death. Despite media attention and the local authorities’ awareness of the situation, it took eight years to remove the animals, so ineffective are Japan’s animal welfare laws. Yuu, now 18 months old, was among the few animals finally rescued, but the experience left its marks. His legs, deformed from the cage, were operated on successfully and he is able to walk. Incredibly timid, Yuu is nonetheless a gentle and fun-loving dog, but he is often terrified to go for walks. Ideally, a prospective owner would have a big garden where he could exercise and play. Yuu, the size of a very small German shepherd, is house-trained, patient and very quiet in the house. He needs someone to love and accept him as he is, someone who can help him quiet the demons of his past.

(Photo by Kyoko Harada)

Interested in Adopting Yuu?

The Japan Times supports stray and abandoned animals by editing and printing this photo box every Saturday in the Weekend/People section of the paper.

Cat for Adoption: Gigi

tokyoark — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:00:14 +0000

Green-eyed lady Gigi could well be described as something of a sugar loaf, weighing in at a hefty 5 kg… not all muscle. Nonetheless, she is a stunning beauty. About 4 years old, Gigi has been at ARK for two years now, after being rudely ousted from her home when her former owner, keeping pets against the rules, was ‘‘outed.’’ Gigi is a princess currently living in far from palatial surroundings. Alas, she does her best to adapt and insists on taking afternoon naps in her favorite sleeping basket. She will give the shelter workers a friendly pat with her paw as they go about cleaning her kingdom, though it is not so much a playful pat as one that says ‘‘Good work, team. Don’t forget to clean in the corners.’’ Gigi is a sensual creature. She loves to (and lives to) eat, sleep, and play. A people lover, she’ll hop on your knee for a cuddle and purr. Gigi does get along well with other cats, but only those who totally understand that her favorite sleeping basket must absolutely be made available for her and her afternoon naps. No commoner, this friendly, companionable lady would be sure to (as the old song goes) help her new owner soothe ‘‘every wave that comes.’’

(Photo by Kyoko Harada)

Interested in Adopting Gigi?

The Japan Times supports stray and abandoned animals by editing and printing this photo box every Saturday in the Weekend/People section of the paper.

Success Story: Lan

tokyoark — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:00:04 +0000

Lan, a 10-year-old Shiba, was first featured in the Feb. 9 issue of The Japan Times. She, as most older animals are, was passed over at the ARK shelter for many long years until she was welcomed into the hearts and home of the Tange family. Above, Aya, 14, daughter of Denise Tange, chums with a very happy-looking Lan (now known as Lani) in her new Tokyo home. Lan is enjoying four walks a day and play sessions in the park. Still, she is always happy to return home. Says Denise, ‘‘She recognizes the house and whenever we come back from a walk and get near it, she wants to go back in. If I try to walk past, she stops and refuses to move.’’ Lan has also won hearts at the office, where Denise hopes to bring her twice a week. Duties will include ‘‘letting people pet her and give her snacks.’’ Well-behaved and kind-hearted, Lan is described as ‘‘perfectly balanced’’ with ‘‘a sense of humor.’’ Denise says, ‘‘We are thrilled to adopt her. We just want her to be as happy with us as we are with her.’’ The Japan Times and ARK extend heartfelt thanks to the Tanges for bringing love and comfort to a decidedly young-at-heart, very dear, old(er) dog.

(Photo by Denise Tange)

Interested in Adopting a Pet?

The Japan Times supports stray and abandoned animals by editing and printing this photo box every Saturday in the Weekend/People section of the paper.

Petsitters in Tokyo

Shaney — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:35:17 +0000

Here is a good article from Japan Today about finding a petsitter in Tokyo.

What to do when your pet can’t join you on vacation? In Japan, one option is to board it in a pet hotel — which sounds like a good idea, but can be a nightmare. Some kennels charge exorbitant rates and cram your beloved animal into the cat- or dog-sized equivalent of a six-mat apartment.

It was the poor condition of local pet hotels that inspired Lene Borup Kimura, a Danish woman who moved to Japan 3 1/2 years ago, to start a sitting service in 2005. Being an avid dog lover who missed her companion back home, Kimura saw an opportunity to spend time with animals while helping people in need.

Read the rest of the article.

Success Story: Haru

tokyoark — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:00:15 +0000

Former ARK resident Haru, a wire-haired dachshund, was first featured in the Japan Times on December 29. He used to suffer from separation anxiety while at the shelter, but his anxious days are over now that he has found a boisterous and busy family — the Srirams in Tokyo. Above, Haru gets a double embrace by Gita Sriram and daughter Khushi, 7. Family helper Tutik looks on, while the youngest Sriram, 3-year-old Karishma, sizes up the photographer. It is Karishma who insists on bringing the wonderfully patient Haru to bed with her every night. “It’s hilarious to see their two heads on a pillow, sleeping nose to nose,” says Gita. Khushi “loves to carry him around like a baby and he doesn’t seem to mind.” Every day, Haru walks to Karishma’s school, where he receives lots of hugs and kisses from her classmates. The message from Gita: “Thank you so much for bringing him into our lives. He has been a fabulous addition to our family.” From ARK and the Japan Times with deepest gratitude: Thank you!

(Photo by Kyoko Harada)

Interested in Adopting a Pet?

The Japan Times supports stray and abandoned animals by editing and printing this photo box every Saturday in the Weekend/People section of the paper.