Donations to Japan?

Not too much going on. I ran errands. Got my hair cut. Bought winter ski pants (hopefully I can wear them while I do crosswalk duty. They look enough like my uniform but are WARM!) I think I have decided on a Christmas craft to do with the English classes next week and I bought beads and such for that. Went to the vet to buy cat food.

Last week someone asked me about the animals in northern Japan. They had seen a video about pets left behind and their plight. The person wanted to know if there was any way to send a donation to help.

I checked out the Internet and then talked to my vet yesterday. There is an organization, JSAVA, Japan Small Animal Veterinary Association, that is selling goods to donate to the centers helping the animal population in the north but I can find no way for someone outside of Japan to send donations to it. I wrote about this in an August post and you can see the T-shirt better there.

Many local veterinarians sell the specially designed T-shirts and handkerchiefs in their clinics and the money is sent to centers caring for rescued animals... neutering, feeding, purchasing cages and leashes, supporting care staff who rescue and feed the animals, walk dogs and locate new homes. My vet said that neutering the animals is the biggest job right now, as many kittens and puppies have been born, and then finding homes for the young. Cats that have been rescued are more content than dogs because they don't much mind being kept in a small space as long as they are fed. It is the dogs that are frustrated by lack of exercise and human contact.

I find all this so disturbing to think about. I don't have to go to northern Japan to know that there are animals who need help, there are some down the street from me. At the reception desk my vet has a donation box and I have decided that whenever I go I will put $20 in the box. (And with 7 animals I really do go quite a bit!) This isn't a short term problem. As long as I have animals of my own I hope I can continue to support the organizations that are willing to work for others.

If you can't help one of northern Japan's animals, think about helping a local animal organization near you.