Large scale rescue : 34 dogs

Large scale rescue : 34 dogs

Apart from rescue of bankrupt breeders’ little dogs, ARK has not had a rescue on this scale for some time. We received a call from a construction site, north of Kobe, that the hokensho were coming to take all the dogs into custody, and that no doubt they would be gassed. We didn’t know what to expect but set of with as many cages as we could to fit in one vehicle. As is often the case, the boss of the yard started keeping one or two dogs and after a year or two, these increased to a total of 41. One of the employees did his best to care for the dogs and they clearly loved him but he didn’t have any money to neuter them. Some were living in cages on the site but a few were roaming free on the mountain where they barked at hikers. That is when the hokensho and police began to put pressure on the employee.

On 27th May we set off hoping to get to the place ahead of the hokenso. It was a race against time. But fortunately the employee had manage to buy time and we were able to bring 12 dogs back to ARK. However, the hokensho would not hold off for ever so we decided to go a week later to bring back the remaining dog; in total 16 females, 15 males and 3 puppies. Local helpers had offered to take in an additional 5 puppies. On 4th June we went back to bring home the remaining dogs.

Opening space for 36 dogs required major re-organization here at ARK. We would not or could not keep them in cages but on the other hand we need enclosures with high fences and /or a roof to prevent escapes. ARK staff worked hard to achieve this While these dogs were all used to the employee who looked after them, they have had little contact with other people, so need a lot of socializing. But first they need to be processed; Frontline to eliminated ticks and fleas, hair balls to get rid of, shampooing, vaccinations, neutering and micro-chipping and slowly getting them used to us and to enjoy going out on a walk.

All this takes time and money. The basic process costs ¥ 30,000 per dog which does not include food or staff time. Any help you can give would be much appreciated. We are using our Large Scale Rescue Fund for this.
　　Postal account number：00970-2-267840
　　Account name：大規模レスキュー基金 / Large Scale Rescue Fund

A week after the first 12 dog rescue, we can see the difference in their faces and body posture. No longer curled rigid with their tails between their legs, but more relaxed and smiling.