Japanese Risk Radiation in Evacuation Zone to Rescue Stranded Dogs
- Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:11am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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TOKYO (AP) — When Etsumi Ogino saw a news photo of a pack of shelties wandering through an abandoned town near Japan’s tsunami-damaged nuclear plant, she thought of her own 13-year-old canine Kein and jumped into action.
“My heart trembled,” said Ogino, a 56-year-old volunteer at an animal shelter in Chiba prefecture. “They looked just like my dog. I started searching for them right away.”
The picture that sparked the rescue.
She and others around Japan called Asahi.com, the website of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, which had run the photo. An Associated Press photographer had snapped that photo and others of the dogs on an empty street in Minami Soma city, an area evacuated because of radiation fears.
On Saturday, the AP gave her details of where the dogs were spotted.
Ogino relayed the information to a team of animal rescuers called Sheltie Rescue. By then, the group had been getting emails from dog lovers around the country about the abandoned pack.
Through emails and Internet research it was established that the owner of the dogs was a breeder in Minami Soma. The group contacted the Fukushima city branch of the Japan Collie Club, tracked the owner down by phone at a shelter and got her go-ahead to rescue the dogs.
A rescuer feeding the dogs. She shows her back to them as to not appear threatening.
In the wee hours of Sunday morning, seven volunteers left Tokyo and drove over broken roads and past demolished houses to meet three other volunteers in the ghost town that Minami Soma has become. Some had prepared radiation suits and others wore simple vinyl raincoats.
The first two to arrive found the pack around the Odaka train station, near the owner’s home, where the AP team had last seen them.
“They were waiting for their owner,” said Tamiko Nakamura, a volunteer who went with the group from Tokyo.
The dogs had been left some dry food, and weren’t starving.
It took a while to entice them with snacks, and six or seven were bundled into each car. The group saved 20 dogs in all.
Most were taken to a veterinary clinic in Kanagawa prefecture just west of Tokyo. Others are being cared for by individuals in other areas.
The owner, worn down by the disaster and worrying about her dogs, was “extremely happy,” Nakamura said. She said the owner did not want her identity revealed.
Nakamura only regrets that some of the dogs in the pack ran away and countless others are still stranded in the evacuation zone.
“There are still some left behind,” she said. “I’m concerned about them and want to pull them out.”
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Associated Press writer Eric Talmadge and photographer Hiro Komae spotted the dogs in Minami Soma on April 7.
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Comments (44)
Professional Infidel
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:07pmMy dog is my significant other, I understand pefectly, nuff said
Report Post »mickeyd5
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 9:27pmCAPTAINGRUMPY,
I have shared your loss many times. Saying goodbye to that best friend that never had a question about anything and only asked for a kind word and loving touch occasionally and would protect you with his last breath. Which is exactly what my Felix did. His body racked with cancer, I took him to the vet for the final goodbye. Another,bigger dog came into the lobby and came a little too close. Felix laid his ears back and bared his teeth with a deep growl. The other dog turned away. About 30 minutes later, Felix was gone. Perhaps he and Chucky are running and chasing each other through a huge meadow where there is no pain. God bless.
Report Post »Strosity
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 9:20pmObama Snake Oil Co:
There’s a major difference between a dog and a liberal. We willingly and by choice take dogs into our home, as pets and family members. We understand that we fund their life, and in exchange, they provide years of selfless happiness for their owners. Most importantly, they know no better.
Liberals and lazies on the other hand expect us to fund their lives without contributing or offering anything in return. Offering little in terms of redeeming value, they instead usurp willingly and unwillingly the American way of life through their activist causes and vote.
In other words, I’d save a sinking boat filled with dogs.
Report Post »Spirit Warrior Woman
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 9:11pmPraise God for earthbound angels.
Report Post »captaingrumpy
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 6:46pmI lost my friend of 17 years just last week. He died during the night in his bed ,next to mine.I would not think twice about rescuing these lovely kids. I believe they were put on earth for a reason,to help mankind and I look on them as Four Legged People. BYE Chucky Darling,thanks mate.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 9:00pmhey my heart go out to you..
I understand.
Report Post »mandemsmom
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:58pmI am truly amazed by the quiet comapssion and grace of the Japaneese people. THey do not loot, rob or steal from their stores or neighbors and they risk their lives for animals. We Americans can learn a thing or two about how to behave when faced with a disaster.
Report Post »PammyUSA
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 8:43pmAmen! Great post! Thank you!
Report Post »TheWord-DH077
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:35pm“For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth.”
Romans 8:22 (Good News Translation)
Report Post »Eddie
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:21pmWe all could take a lesson from the Japanese. No mob mentality after the quake and tsunami, no roving bands of theives, no crys for the government to get the handouts ready. Just compassion for their fellow man, gratitude for the world’s assistance and as mentioned by others, caring for creatures that cannot care for themselves. What a noble and gallant people the japanese are. “Shimpaishinaide” my dear Asian friends. Things will get better for you!
Report Post »darmyman
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:01pmGreat story. Hope more will go in and do the same.
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:54pmHave to admire how the Japanese people have/are going through all their troubles! When hardships come to us, am afraid we will not act as well!
Report Post »No, Shelties are not equal to people, but I’ve had Shelties for 20 years and they have bigger hearts than many people I know.
Am really glad they were able to rescue these!
Constitutional
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:12pmWhere are the looters?
Report Post »You can bet that if it happened here the looters would brave even wild dogs and radiation to loot.
KnuckleDraggingNeanderthal
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:33pmKudos to the rescuers! We don‘t know all the details of why the owner didn’t rescue them, so before slamming the owner for not rescuing the dogs, we need all the facts. That area is so chaotic now, it is a miracle that anyone was able to get in there to rescue these dogs. I probably would have risked my life for my dog. I had a Sheltie for 12 years. One of the smartest and most loyal dog I ever met. God bless these rescuers!
Report Post »CanteenBoy
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:22pmDogs Rule!!
Saving them is very noble.
Report Post »CatherineAnn
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:53amIt is a shame the owner did not go in and get they. It would have made it easier, quicker and more dogs would have been saved. I wonder why they did not take that responsibility?
Report Post »Pavelina
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 1:36amThe article said she was too worn down by the disaster to look for the dogs on her own. I can understand that. She may be an older person without much energy or good health. But she was concerned about them.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:34amCan’t “bet” on much in Japan anymore. It’s act accordingly or being unable to act at all.
Report Post »There’s no time left there to think of much except what actions will be remembered as selfless..
They have already shown what selfless behavior consists of. That’s why the leftist media cannot understand them.
The dogs are just a small example.
threedoor
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:32amStupid. Rat does not = Dog does not = Person. Why risk your life for a dog? Its like people slamming on the brakes for squirles and such, the sort of theing that causes human injury. Why not spend the energy on helping human survivors of the disaster?
Report Post »piper60
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:54amFirst of all, they probably have been trying to find people and rescue them, second of all, most people do care about dogs. This species has been helping us out for many millenia, including police dogs, and war dogs. It’s our turn now.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:47pmTHREEDOOR
I do not understand you. Most people have a strong bond with another species; the cross species bond/love can and often does equal human to human love. I was devastated when may 17yr 12day old sheltie/shepard died. I now have a Jack Russel beagle. GOD HELP YOU if you intend harm to my Twinkle!
For these Japanese, these LOVED ONES may be ALL THAT THEY HAVE LEFT.
Show a little compassion, aye?
Report Post »robx
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 9:39pmBecause we are judged by God how we treat animals. He gave us dominion over and created us as carnivores. This requires us to kill his creations to survive. This provides the greatest test for our goodness and greatness, testing our ability to exhibit both dominion and compassion, just as he does with us. That is why Jewish Kosher traditions require the killing of any animal to be as quick and painless as possible.
Moses was chosen because of his care for his animals. The Talmud says:
‘Since you are merciful to the flock of a human being, you shall be the shepherd of My flock, Israel’
But all that aside, Dogs RULE!!!
Report Post »Blazinwow
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 8:17amThreeDoor, you obviously know nothing about the true meaning of love for animals. People have a ton of resources, laws and programs available to them but domestic animals MUST DEPEND on humans!
Report Post »So sorry for you that you are obviously clueless about what it means to love a pet like your own child. Wouldn’t you do anything to save your own child?
hgaut
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:29amYeah I would’ve done the same and gone back for my furballs. Hopefully they can get more of them out to safety.
Report Post »Alexandra1214
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:14amShelties are funny little doggies … they tend to be skiddish/extremely careful of anyone who is not their “person” … unlike Collies who will actually look for humans to hang out with … Shelties will stay away … Having done rescue work for over 20 years … EBLAZE44 is CORRECT … put the food OUTSIDE of the Radiation Zone …. leave a trail of food to the Jackpot of food …. OUTSIDE of the Zone … God Bless these people for trying to help rescue the wee beasties … I know I would have tried too …. Radiation be damed !!!! …… http://www.mysticgrove.org
Report Post »In a Bunker
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:08amGod bless these people. I would have done the same thing.
Report Post »lildeb56
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:51amGod Bless these people! My heart goes out to them, and those poor animals. They have no idea what has happened and why they are alone. They are lost and scared. I hope they can get more out. Please continue to pray for the Japanese.
Report Post »miles from nowhere
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:36amThe people of Japan continue to inspire us in there most difficult time in history, this has to be heart wrenching. I am so sorry for them.
Report Post »MikeinIdaho
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:32amIt‘s the least we can do for man’s best friend and protector! After all, we have had a mutual protection agreement for many, many thousands of years. God bless both species!
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:22amso quit feeding them in the zone – put the food outside the zone – they’ll come or starve – bet they walk out by themselves. This is like paying people to be unemployed – as long as you cater to them – there is no incentive to get a job.
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:14amSort of like paying farmers not to grow crops huh.
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:21amIf it happened in China, they’d be eating them.
Report Post »techengineer11
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 6:28pmI was thinking the very same thing.. lol However, it does say a lot about the Japanese people. They love and care for their pets. Not the Chinese. You know when Japan invaded China back in the 30s the Leauge of Nations including the US supported China probably because they were more marxist.
Report Post »and to the republic
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:19amI am pretty sure I would do the same thing. I know if my dog was in trouble, I would do anything I had to to make it right…..Sad story…
Report Post »PavZilla
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:34amYeah, and we’ve got parents encouraging their children to be barbarians. What a contrast.
Kudos to Japan for their endurance. I’m hoping I will have half the grace.
Report Post »Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:47amPoor things. They look pretty healthy for not getting help for a month or so.
Report Post »Disabledvet
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:21amI own six Shelties of my own, if I were in Japan I would gone and done the same thing, great story.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:02pmGod bless those people and I pray daily for the people of Japan. I hope they are able to rescue the remaining dogs soon.
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:46pmIt is a sign of a noble nature and a christian soul when higher lifeforms risk all to care for and protect lower lifeforms…that is unless we are talking about liberal entitlement programs.
Report Post »PrfctlyFrank
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:27pmI’d walk through the gates of hell for my dog.. A better friend has no man..
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:59pmI am a long and faihfull keeper of a dog(s). Having had 5 now, 15 puppies….kind of know the drill. They are wonderfull animals with out a doubt, but they are democrats…Yeah, I said it…a dam…democrat. I even think they are a little progressive too. First, they don’t work, pay taxes, sleep all day and night.free roof over their head..eat for free, get free healthcare and are always expecting a handout…now that is a democrat. Progressive, they want to bark so their voice would be heard even though it doesn’t make a lick of sense. When they bark, the drool way too much but they feel they are entitled to free tennis balls, toys, paytime, my time and my tax money. Furthermore, they have communistic tendencies….they invite their friends over for free food, water, animal channel and treats….you seeing where I am going with this? Their friends would even spend the night if I didn’t run them out the door like most liberals that come in my house….So, no that I have defined the animal the democrat is….at least my dog soft and sweet, appreciates what I do for them, smiles to say thank you. My conclusion…the only good democrat there is…is a dog!
darmyman
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:59pmAgree 100%
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