Current Conditions in Animal welfare

Though many people have negative emotions about euthanasia of unwanted animals in shelters or by animal control, Japan has successfully cut down on the rate of euthanasia during the past decade.
Around 1997 the total number of dogs and cats "put down" by animal control authorities of prefectural governments was around 600~700 thousand.
However in the 2007~2008 period this number has moved down to approximately 300 thousand. In other words, for dogs and cats, euthanasia has gone down by 50% in a 10year period. This is quite remarkable as numbers go, but unfortunately the decrease is due mainly to the fact that fewer and fewer dogs are being put down.
The euthanasia of unwanted dogs has now gone down to 1/3 of its level in 1997. With cats the decrease is, unfortunately, not so spectacular. There is a need to increase spay neuter programs as 80% of the cats euthanized by animal control are kittens. Many local bodies are financially supporting TSNR programs, but the effort needs to be stepped up. For example of all the wards and townships in the Tokyo metropolitan area only about 50% provide any form of subsidy for TSNR programs run by animal welfare charities.
However it is encouraging to see that some local governments have joined hands with local citizens and volunteers to become directly involved in TSNR programs within their jurisdiction.
One disturbing aspect of dogs and cats "dropped off" at animal control, is the number of animals being thrown out by puppy-mill operators. Though all animal businesses must now be registered with the local authorities, the standards for registration are still minimal and inspection infrequent due to a lack of manpower. The animal welfare law in Japan penalizes those who "dump" their animals on the streets, the maximum penalty here being 500 thousand yen. However surrendering your animal to animal control is not an offence whatever the reason.
This gives puppy millers a good excuse to "unload" the unwanted animals at no cost to themselves. With fewer stray animals and an increasing number of knowledgeable, responsible owners a further marked decrease in euthanasia rates can be hoped for throughout the country, but if the puppy mill issue is not resolved it will be a while yet before we are able to realize our ideals.

Objective

Archive

2012

[January 2012]

Politics and Animal Welfare

2011

[December 2011]

The Country of the Aquarium

[November 2011]

Dangerous Dogs

[October 2011]

Revision of the Animal Welfare Law

[September 2011]

Evacuating With Pets

[August 2011]

Helping Animals After the Quake

[July 2011]

Animals in the Nuclear Evacuation Zone

[June 2011]

Animals in the Aftermath of the Great Earthquake of Eastern Japan

[May 2011]

The Great Earthquake

[March 2011]

Rabbit Island

[February 2011]

Unwanted Pets

[January 2011]

The Year of the Rabbit

2010

[December 2010]

Funerals for Pets:An Animal Welfare Issue?

[November 2010]

The Growing Pet Business Sector in Japan

[October 2010]

A Difficult Time for Zoos

[September 2010]

The Aftermath of the Foot and Mouth Disease

[August 2010]

Service Dogs in Japan

[July 2010]

Alien Species

[June 2010]

The Growing Pet Care Market

[May 2010]

The Future of Bears in Japan

[April 2010]

Resident Cards for Dogs

[March 2010]

Favorite Pets for the Older Generation

[February 2010]

Behavior Problems in Dogs

[January 2010]

Disaster-Preparedness of Pet Owners

2009

[December 2009]

Encouraging Trends in Dog Ownership

[November 2009]

"City Pets : Where do they Live and Where Do They Go"

[October 2009]

Hunting Dolphins

[September 2009]

Price are going up for Pets, Too!

[August 2009]

Current Conditions in Animal welfare

[July 2009]

Badgers and Foxes : Pranksters in Japanese Lore

[June 2009]

Revision of the Service Dog Law

[May 2009]

More Dogs and Cats

[April 2009]

The Making of Veterinarians

[March 2009]

Therapy Animals in Japan

[February 2009]

Birds and theJapan

[January 2009]

Happy Year of the Cow!

2008

[December 2008]

An International Controversy

[November 2008]

Cat Cafe's?

[October 2008]

Be Kind To Animals Week

[September 2008]

Quarantine of Dogs in Japan

[August 2008]

Microchipping in Japan

[July 2008]

Akita Dogs

[June 2008]

Pet Trends in Japan

[May 2008]

The Worries of Japanese Pet Owners

[April 2008]

Recent Pet Stats for Japan

[March 2008]

The Future of Animal Experiments

[February 2008]

Animals Attract Students

[January 2008]

The Year of the Mouse

2007

[December 2007]

Pet Food Safety in Japan

[November 2007]

Saying Good-bye to Your Pets

[October 2007]

IAHAIO Conference in Tokyo

[September 2007]

Autumn is for Rabbits

[August 2007]

The Dangers of Summer

[July 2007]

More Apartments Allowing Pets

[June 2007]

5 Years Since the Law

[May 2007]

The Cost of Pet - keeping in Japan

[April 2007]

Animal Stats for 2006

[March 2007]

Dog Breeding & Genetic Disorders in Japan

[February 2007]

Who Are the Good Pet Owners?

[January 2007]

Happy year of the wild boar!

2006

[December 2006]

Women in the Animal Professions

[November 2006]

The People's Perception of Zoos

[October 2006]

Service Dogs in Japan

[September 2006]

Pets in Natural Disasters

[August 2006]

Winner or Loser

[July 2006]

The Wildlife Controversy

[June 2006]

Dog Ownership and Age

[May 2006]

Dog Spas

[April 2006]

Retirement, Old Age, and Companion Animals

[March 2006]

Who is in charge?

[February 2006]

Pet Business in the City

[January 2006]

Year of the Dog

2005

[December 2005]

Third Year Review of the Service Dog Access Law

[November 2005]

Purebred Craze

[October 2005]

Co - existing With Crows

[September 2005]

A few more words on the Revision of the Animal Welfare Law

[August 2005]

Insects as Pets?

[July 2005]

[Animal Businesses] in the Revised Animal Welfare Law

[June 2005]

Cat Ownership in Japan

[May 2005]

Bears still appear around human communities

[April 2005]

Animal Nurses in Japan

[March 2005]

Keeping pets without house

[February 2005]

Veterinary education in Japan

[January 2005]

Happy Year of the Rooster!

2004

[December 2004]

Looking Forward to 2007

[November 2004]

Rabies, a Serious Risk to both Man and Dog

[October 2004]

Animals in Pet Shops

[September 2004]

Cats: Lucky or Unlucky

[August 2004]

Rabies Vaccinations and Pet Imports

[July 2004]

Pets Over the Net !?

[June 2004]

Menageries or Educational Institutions?

[May 2004]

The Avian Flu and School Animals

[April 2004]

Recent Pet Survey Statistics

[March 2004]

A Survey of Japanese Zoos

[February 2004]

Flying Pets

[January 2004]

The Year of the Monkey, Who Will Celebrate?

2003

[December 2003]

Save Rate of Unwanted Pets in Japan

[November 2003]

Pet Overpopulation .... What Are the Solutions?

[October 2003]

Endeavor to Register Non-Domestic Species

[September 2003]

Those popular Small Dogs

[August 2003]

The Incidence of Dog Bite Accidents

[July 2003]

Dog Parks, Cat Parks... zoos?

[June 2003]

Breed Popularity.... a headache and a heartache.

[May 2003]

Is Dog-Fighting a Valuable Cultural Tradition?

[April 2003]

8 strong needs for change in the fifth year review of the animal welfare law

[March 2003]

Trend of Motives and Concern with social manners of Pet Keeping

[February 2003]

[Dog-Runs] in Japan

[January 2003]

Euthanasia

2002

[December 2002]

Animals in Education

[November 2002]

Bullfighting in Japan

[October 2002]

The Next Revision of Animal Welfare Law

[September 2002]

Wild Bears and the Human Community

[August 2002]

Pets in Apartments

[July 2002]

Genetic disorders in purebred dogs

[June 2002]

New Access Law for Service Dogs

[May 2002]

Activity for promoting the social acceptance of pet dogs

[April 2002]

Dog Bite Accident

[March 2002]

Crows and City Life: Who is at fault?

[February 2002]

Raccoons, crows, and fetal cats...

[January 2002]

Pet Ownership in Japan

2001

[December 2001]

Veterinary Education in Japan

[November 2001]

Feral Cats in Japan

[October 2001]

Shiba Dogs

[September 2001]

ACCESS LAW TO BE INSTITUTED!

[August 2001]

Rabbit in school