Nippon SPCA Japan Northern Japan Animal Rescue Plans
by Elisa Narikawa on Saturday, 19 March 2011 at 13:27
Nippon SPCA has made a plan for how best to rescue animals in the disaster-struck Tohoku area of Northern Japan. We are currently organizing the supplies, transportation, man-power, budget and proper approach for dealing with a constantly changing, difficult situation. We greatly appreciate any forms of support that people can offer, be it expertise, hard to collect supplies or donations. Please see the exact nature of our plan below, and a practical list of what we need to complete are plans at the bottom. Thanks again for all the support we have already been shown.
1) The Nippon SPCA team will be leaving for the north of Japan after March 24 because of 1. the issue of obtaining gas; currently prices are high and many gas stations are limiting the amount that they will sell; and 2. the situation on the roads along the coast north of Ibaraki Prefecture (which is immediately north of Tokyo); the coastal roads have been destroyed because of the earthquake and tsunamis.
According to Nippon SPCA founder Akiko Fujimura's sources, 1. the gas situation will start to let up within a weeks time, and NSPCA can gradually accumulate a supply by buying the available limit whenever possible; and 2. the government is building new roads, which they sbould be able to complete within 3 days time (amazing really).
2) Nippon SPCA plans to have 2 or 3 vans or camping cars to head north in (any advice on this choice from experienced rescue workers would be appreciated) with the first stop at the Shipono Nakama Shelter (literally, "Friend of the Tail" Shelter; http://shippononakama.kuronowish.com/) in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
3) There the Nippon SPCA will be able to set up a base of operations, dropping off the supply of extra gas and any personal belongings that are not needed in the areas where rescue will occur.
4) Kasama City will be the base where the team can return with rescued animals, and to rest, sleep, eat.
5) From Kasama, the team will make trips north to visit other animal shelters, evacuation centers where people are gathering, and government Aigo Centers -- literally "Animal Protection Shelters" -- where animals are killed after 72 hours to 5 days if they are not rescued. Akiko Fujimura has a contact in one of the centers and is asking them to save the animals in this situation rather than dispose of them. (Nippon SPCA messages on Facebook and Twitter have started a conversation among people who did not know about this before -- yet, according to Akiko Fujimura, the Ministry of Environment, who is in charge of the centers, has essentially replied, "Who cares?")
Based on the reports from shelters of where animals are in the disaster-struck ares, the team will go into the field to find and rescue animals that are not already accounted for.
The areas to be visited will include:
a. Fukushima Prefecture, depending on the safety of the radiation levels in the area. The Japanese government has currently evacuated people within a 20 km radius of the northern Fukushima nuclear reactors and 10 km radius of the southern Fukushima reactors (an area that overlaps with the radius of the northern evacuation range). The US gov't in contrast has suggested that people avoid an the area that is within a 50 mile radius (80 km) of the plants.
If conditions allow, Minami-Soma in Fukushima was hard hit and should be visited.
b. Miyagi Prefecture: Sendai city and the heavily hit Kesennuma city on the coast
c. Iwate Prefecture (situation currently unclear)
6) If necessary on such trips, the team will sleep in the cars. When timing allows, they will return to Shipono Nakama Shelter in Ibaraki to drop off rescued dogs and resupply themselves.
7) After it is decided that no more can be done in the area because of a lack of supplies; an inability to further explore the area; safety concerns; more than enough animals to take care off have been collected; or other reasons, then the animals will start to be brought to Tokyo, where Nippon SPCA is looking to find a place in Yokohama or somewhere else on the outskirts of the city to set up a temporary shelter to work out of.
What Nippon SPCA is assembling to complete its plan and can use assistance with:
A substantial supply of gasoline and gasoline tanks
Voluneteers with experience working and driving in disaster areas
Antibiotics, medicine and medical supplies
Cages to put animals in to transport them
Net laundry bags to hold cats
Vetrinarians willing to assist
Cash donations to secure a budget to supply as much of the above as possible.
Donations can be made through PAYPAL by directing contributions to the email address:
akiko@nipponspca.com
Use this link or simply click on Paypal and then choose "Send Money":
Thanks to everyone who has sent us their support and good wishes, everything helps to make it possible to travel north the the disaster stricken Tohoku area in Northern Japan to save animals there.
We will continue to update you as our plans are put into effect or if we can use any special assistance.
( Nippon SPCA Facebook home:
