The earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear reduce have devastated Japan during the past seven days. The number of people affected by the disaster numbers into the millions; however, there are also silent victims: the Pets animals. Many Japan-based animal organizations have experience rescuing animals after natural disasters, thanks to the many earthquakes that happen in the country each year.
However, few events competitor this earthquake. "From our experience of the great Hanshin earthquake on Jan. 17, 1995, we know that the number of homeless pets may be immense," said Elizabeth Oliver, chairman of the Board of Animal Refuge Kansai. "In the case of Kobe, most of the animals that came to us came from the emergency centers where people had sought shelter with their pets.
Others were ones that had been rescued from smashed 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."Animal rescue organizations mobilized quickly after the earthquake - and many are already working in the country. The challenge -- according to Japan Cat Network's Susan Roberts -- is be short of space.
"One of the biggest problems that we will be facing is the intense lack of existing sheltering facilities," Roberts told the Best Friend's Animal Society. "Though we plan to use fostering extensively, as we always have, it will be a real challenge to find places and space to put the large numbers of animals that are now in need of rescue from the tragedy areas."
However, few events competitor this earthquake. "From our experience of the great Hanshin earthquake on Jan. 17, 1995, we know that the number of homeless pets may be immense," said Elizabeth Oliver, chairman of the Board of Animal Refuge Kansai. "In the case of Kobe, most of the animals that came to us came from the emergency centers where people had sought shelter with their pets.
Others were ones that had been rescued from smashed 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."Animal rescue organizations mobilized quickly after the earthquake - and many are already working in the country. The challenge -- according to Japan Cat Network's Susan Roberts -- is be short of space.
"One of the biggest problems that we will be facing is the intense lack of existing sheltering facilities," Roberts told the Best Friend's Animal Society. "Though we plan to use fostering extensively, as we always have, it will be a real challenge to find places and space to put the large numbers of animals that are now in need of rescue from the tragedy areas."
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