Amidst the Death in Japan, A Story of How Two Dogs Lived
- Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:50am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Amid all the stories of death and destruction in japan, there is one of survival and life that touches everyone that may just become a symbol of hope.
Masaki Kikuchi is a good father. On Friday, when the tsunami sirens blared in his neighborhood, he ran up the steps of his home in Japan’s Miyagi province to grab his 12-year-old daughter. He quickly whisked her away, just in time to escape the ferocious wave. Masaki Kikuchi is a good father.
But in saving his daughter, he also made the decision not to rescue the two dogs tied to a shed in his backyard: Towa, a two-year-old Sheltie and Melody, a one-year-old Golden Retriever. In the aftermath of the tsunami — and in the aftermath of his decision — he assumed they had died.
Far from it.
“Towa and Melody had other ideas,” the Wall Street Journal says in a gripping story. “They somehow broke free from the ropes tying them to the shed and ran up outdoor stairs to the second floor of Mr. Kikuchi’s house. And then they waited and waited.”
Good thing. Two days after the tsunami hit, Kikuchi returned to his home to survey the damage. That’s when he heard the barking.
“I don’t know how they survived,” Kikuchi told the WSJ. “I was happy to see them because I had felt badly about leaving them behind.”
Kikuchi’s other daughter, Koya, 20, was just as elated. “When my father told me they were alive, I was so excited,” she told the WSJ.
The dogs are now keeping guard over the home — which although battered survived the wave — as the Kikuchi family sleeps at a nearby shelter. Amidst the chaos, they are constants.
“It’s been so stressful,” Koya said. “It’s so good to see them.”
It’s good to read about them, too.
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Comments (87)
Ozymandias
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 1:00pmOh, let me get a tissue as I’m feeling all “misty” here. Thousands of human deaths and the best the Blaze can cover is two dogs. Maybe I should doubt their judgment and discernment in equity?
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 1:21pmDid you miss all their other stories about the disaster? This gives us a little relief from the heartbreak we feel for the Japanese.
Report Post »Banshee34
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 12:54pmI was so glad to hear a happy story! But… I wouldn’t have left my big dogs behind! They are my children.
Report Post »itallendsupinthedump
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 12:50pmHa Ha, good story, but try doing that to your wife and see who is happier to see you….
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:56amI have had dogs and cats too and loved them all. But in the panic of the moment, he did the best he could. We should not judge what a person does in a split second. Thank Heaven he and his child survived, then what a blessing the dogs also survived. My prayers are with all those suffering, with dignity, in Japan. What an example to all the world.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:48amTwo Dogs!?!?!?!…….THAT Indian gets around!
Report Post »wise grandma
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:17amIn our own country we would have looters and other lawless acts.
Report Post »RamboTheDog
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:35amMakes all the Union thugs chanting about their CBRights seem petty and miniscule in comparison.
Thank God for Dog’s! (BTW…it’s not a coincidence that dog is a palindrome of the word God :)
Report Post »tracer51250
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:29amOk, so I have a response, how on earth could someone leave his dogs TIED UP???? They only survived by the grace of God. He should have at least untied them, it would’ve taken a nano second. I have 3 dogs and they live inside with me and are never tied up. I just don’t understand people who have dogs and leave them outside tied up or in kennels, why bother even having them? My dogs are with me and go with me wherever I go, if they can’t go, we don’t go. They also follow me from room to room so if I had only had time to grab my child I wouldn’t have to worry about my dogs because they would already be right there with me.
Report Post »anigmanm
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:26amNice story, inclusive of the teaching moment, which apparently most people either chose to ignore of miss entirely, had the dogs NOT been tied up but instead been in a fenced yard or kennel he could possibly have had enough time to unlatch the door letting the dogs free to follow instead of fighting for their lives. Yes I have 3 dogs, all rescues, they know how to use the doggie door and for me to drive from my house all I have to do is open the door call the dogs and they get in the car faster than me…………but that is just my perspective
Report Post »jeanpennie
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:48amYes, I always cringe when I see a “tied up” animal … in most situations like this they would have been doomed because of this. My dogs have a dog door and a fenced yard and it would not take me any longer to save them (and my cats) along with myself. I would rather not live without them.
Report Post »Beware of Romans
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:14amOnly ‘Pretty Animals’ should be respected!
They should simply continue killing Whales and Dolphins to near extinction because their simply too ugly to love!
Food for thought.
Report Post »termiteteacher
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:37amFunny! Go back into the dungeons where you belong.
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 12:22pmWell duh! You must have forgotten that either we or our children were raised on “Flipper” episodes.
Report Post »iwantmydamncountryback
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:04amas an avid dog lover this story warms my heart. i have a golden retreiver and hes just the most loving dog ive ever had. i would risk my life for my 2 dogs since i dont have any kids (although I am expecting a call from springer any moment..lol)
Report Post »MrsNix
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:47amMy first thought was…”Well, I get leaving them behind, but at least untie the ropes so they can run away.”
Report Post »mdlwoods
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:40amA wonderful story of hope from so many stories of hopelessness.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:03amPraying daily that when the Rapture comes, our four dogs come with us! Don‘t want to be where they aren’t, and we suspect our other dogs, cats and horses that have gone on before us will be waiting with tails wagging and purring and prancing when we all get HOME!
So glad GOD’s veterinarian angels were on duty!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:27amIt’s a nice thought Grandma, I hope you’re right.
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:48amI’m glad to hear you say that KICK, I ask the Lord for that every day as well, He healed one of my dogs when the Docs and the drugs could not, so why not rapture them as well.
Report Post »TruthisHealthy
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:01amGod Bless the family and their Bleoved dogs. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Report Post »hgaut
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:54amWow what a choice but I can understand and besides he didn’t have time. I have 6 rescue dogs at my house and think of survival tactics every hurricane season. It’s good to hear the stories of survival and rescue. The Japanese are wonderful people and I’ve experienced their polite manners at my job many times. I’m praying for more stories of survival and hope and that they can rebuild quickly. My prayers are also with my fellow cast members at Tokoyo Disney.
Report Post »alrunner58
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:54amI have 5 dogs and a cat and they’re my family. What a heart warming story.
Report Post »TruthisHealthy
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:02amBeautiful ending to a horrific event. God Bless all of them.
Report Post »Carolyn
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:44amHe had to make a choice. I’m so grateful for the happy results!
Report Post »Hickory
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:40amIf you have a religious bone in your body, please say a prayer for these people. They are in a living hell and need every bit of help they can get. I admire them so much for their strength of character. There has been no looting. I mean zero. There is a lesson here for all of us.
Report Post »KellyR
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:42amI agree! They have a culture of self control and discipline like nowhere else. No “entitlement” mentality! Take a lesson D.C.!
Nice to hear something positive related to this tragedy!
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:06amThe story ends well for these dogs, but I wonder how anyone could leave their dog behind tied up. My dog would be going with me.
Report Post »Thighmaster
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:40amI have two Shelties and a Pom and nuthin would scare Me more than leaving My dogs behind. It just won’t happen…
Report Post »NancyBee
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:00amI have 5 dogs…..4 small beautiful muts and a black lab…all elderly…so no I wouldn’t leave them behind either…….I don‘t know why I’m thinking about this …….but in the movie “Signs”, Mel Gipson and his family left the dog in the barn…I kept thinking….why are they leaving the dog in the barn? Oh well…I’m silly……glad the dogs made it.
Report Post »TheRealElvis
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:56pmI agree. There is no excuse for leaving the dogs behind. If you really wanted to save them you would move faster. Everybody has it in them, if they want it bad enough. Unless one is just an effortless putz. Just keepin it real.
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:03amI am glad that these dogs survived, but I could never leave my dog behind. Never!
Report Post »My-Hero-is-Allen West
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:30amI too love dogs, have 6 myself. I think the way the story reads he only had time to save either his child or the dogs. As much as I love my 6 babies I would have to make the same choice and save my child if I could only save one. Tough decision but he made the right choice.
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:10amDarla i understand your love for your dogs and i love my dogs as well but it’s no real choice when there is so little time and you choose your child or the dogs,save the child first and if there is time save the dogs but never put an animal first over the life of a human
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:08amI would release mine and hope she would follow; a simple clasp……………………..less than a second
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:45pmThey wouldnt leave me . And if i did what this man did, i would be haunted for the rest of my life
Report Post »CENFLA
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:59amDogs are people too!
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:05amANGELCAT
Report Post »Yes! they are… if you squint, you can see my baby in my pic
heavyduty
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:59amThey probably chewed through the ropes. But it’s really not important how they escaped, it’s that they did. It is good to hear that they did survive the wave. Japan will probably rebuild faster than we can, given the current administration’s ability to do anything. Hopefully we can send all the socialists to Russia or someplace where they will be loved and cherished. Because they never will be here.
Report Post »firstlast
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:02amHow very Christian of you
Report Post »mill
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:51amjapan will rebuild much faster than the US could ever hope to.
We would be bickering about what union got to do what, what agency did what, who got to screw who on prices, what inferior products can we use, people trying to cut in line, demanding free stuff “right now’!!!, on and on until the cows came home. japan will not do this. In general, they are a moral people. stores in Japan were selling food they had at cost…can you even imagine a store in the US doing that to help people??? No.
the infant and the dogs are a moral booster that everyone needs.
Report Post »White Devil
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 12:26pmFIRSTLAST: Shut the hell up.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 1:22pmWhite Devil ~
Report Post »Your comment wasn’t any better.
grandmaof5
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:55amGod works in mysterious ways. What a terrible decision to have to make, but happily, a heart warming ending.
Report Post »Tnredneck
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:09amI have 5 dogs, 4 as a result of animal rescue. I have learned that God works thru each of this little critters and am greatful and thank the good Lord every day for them. 5 dogs = 5 times the love. And The lone male of the bunch saved my daughter from an intruder and put him in the hospital! He is a 30 pound jack russel mix who got the best of an 180 pound pervert. Small miracles!!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 1:19pmWOW, TNRedNeck! WOW!
What happened to him after he got of the hospital?
Report Post »shotzie
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 6:17pmTNREDNECK – Go Jack Russell Go!! What a great story! Hope you put it on Purina website or other dog websites. I had the most laid back, happy to everybody golden retriever, I’d never ever heard him growl. One day on a walk in the woods a man approached going in the opposite direction. Usually Avatar would on such occasion get all excited, tail wagging, hoping for a pet, but when the man was still about 15 ft away he stopped, hairs raised, feet firmly planted and began a low gutteral growl. I was staring more at my dog than the man I was so astonished. This man had done nothing threatening – that I could sense – but Avatar apparently sensed otherwise. The man turned and fled. I’ll never know. I’ll never know. I told my parents (at the time I was just 20 and still at home), they called police, but nothing had been done, so no report was taken. Dogs are amazing. Thank goodness yours was there for your daughter!!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:52amNice story. Thanks for a little good news.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:16amI saw on FOX this moening that a 6 month old infant was found after two days and she was doing fine as well. They reunited her with her dad. Maricles happen and too many people see it as just plain luck but an ifant lost in a gaint tidal wave and left out in the elements for two days in sub zero tempertutres at night take more than luck to survive. I think GOD knew the people needed to see hope and that child and those dogs are hope.
Report Post »RoguePatriot
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:59amDogs have a great intuition and know what is going on before we do most of the time. Plus they have great survival instinct!
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:41amSomehow, I think disasters like this are God’s way of making us look deeper for miracles and to appreciate life more. And also, so we can reach out to others in their time of great need and not think of ourselves so much. In our darkest hours, we can also find our greatest strength, faith, and hope.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 11:17amAll that has happened in Japan is traumatic even for a grown person. For a 12-year-old, the feeling of helplessness is much worse. Not having to grieve for the loss of the two dogs is a real blessing, and I appreciate this story.
Jon Seidl, thank you for posting this story.
Report Post »itallendsupinthedump
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 12:51pmGreat story, but try doing that to your wife and see who is Happier to see you ,,,lol
Report Post »Lucy Larue
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 6:37pmGONZO,
Report Post »It is a good story. I just hope that had I been in that situation I would have at least untied them.
dealer@678
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:32pmWhat real dog lover would have their animal tied up and then leave them behind. Would not happen in my house under ANY circumstance
siobhan3270
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 3:22pmD’yall have an idea of how fast a tsunami moves? The man had a Sophie’s choice kind of decision, and he was blessed. I’m sure as a Dad his daughters were his only concern and once they were safe the adrenaline goes down and he says to himself, “Crap, the dogs”.
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