What is the Dog and Cat Protection Network? What activities does it do?

Dogs and cats are abandoned for various reasons. Stray cats often give birth to kittens, and unfortunately, the number of homeless dogs and cats continues to grow each year. What happens if you have to give up your pet?

If a new home cannot be found, the sad reality is that homeless pets are euthanized by public health centers and other government agencies. In Japan, despite some organizations and public statements promoting a zero-euthanasia campaign, this goal has yet to be fully realized.

When considering adopting a pet, avoid the urge to adopt one simply because they're cute. Dogs and cats have a lifespan of approximately 10 to 20 years, depending on the species. We want to welcome our pets into our homes with the awareness and determination to care for them responsibly until the very end, as if they were part of our family.

In this article, we introduce organizations that provide shelter for dogs and cats that have been relinquished by their owners and have nowhere to live, and help them find new homes.

Some organizations even have their own veterinary clinics dedicated to rescue dogs and cats. There are also many organizations that house unrehomed dogs and cats in their shelters, saving them from euthanasia. What kind of activities do these organizations that help dogs and cats usually carry out?

What is a protection network

In the spirit of animal welfare, organizations established and working to save the lives of homeless dogs and cats from being euthanized disseminate information online and seek new owners. NPOs also provide photos, personality, breed, and age information for people looking to add a dog or cat to their family, primarily through a service that matches people with pets.

Some organizations actively hold online adoption events for rescued dogs and cats, so those looking to adopt a pet may find their dream pet. Be sure to check them out before heading to a pet shop

About NPOs

We rescue dogs and cats that have nowhere to live due to their owners' circumstances, saving them from being euthanized by public health centers and caring for them. We are an organization that disseminates information daily to save small lives, including adopting animals from shelters and finding new homes for them.

NPOs (Non-Profit Organizations) are non-profit organizations whose activities are led by citizens. Here's a brief explanation of what we do.

Activities

●TNR Activities

This activity involves trapping stray cats, neutering them, and returning them to their original location.

The cat is placed in a cage or other trap to prevent injury, and the entire trap is covered and concealed to reassure the cat. After that, to prevent future cat deaths, females are spayed or neutered, and a V-shaped cut is made on the tip of one of their ears to mark the procedure. Finally, the cats are returned to their original location, where volunteers monitor their progress, feed them, and clean up after them.

●Holding Adoption Events

We regularly hold adoption events for rescued dogs and cats. To participate, you must meet certain requirements.

For example, in the case of a rescued cat adoption event, the requirements include:

• Not suitable for families with children (as they may treat the cat as a toy)
• Able to provide regular medical care
• Pet insurance required, with a lifetime commitment to care for the cat and no re-adoption
• Consent from the family
• Kept indoors in a home environment that allows for care

If the above conditions are met, an interview will be held, and only after that will the cat be available for adoption.

●Community Cat Activities

Cats like to live freely, and by their very nature, stray cats exist in every neighborhood. Some people feed them out of pity, while others find it a nuisance. A diverse range of people live in neighborhoods.

People who cannot create unwanted lives but want to protect the lives that exist are increasingly promoting "community cat activities" in the hopes of coexisting with stray cats in their neighborhoods. In addition to feeding, some areas offer subsidies for spaying and neutering to prevent further increases in the number of unfortunate cats, and these organizations are working with local governments to prevent further increases in the number of unfortunate cats.

●Looking for Foster Parents

As mentioned above, we recruit foster parents online. We publish photos of rescued pets along with information such as their breed, age, gender, and personality and respond to inquiries from families looking to adopt a pet.

●Adoption from Shelter and Support

Each prefecture has an Animal Welfare Center. These shelters take in and care for stray dogs and cats, and they also hold adoption events, so it's worth checking out.

● Training

Animal rescue centers and shelters also have dog experts on-site to provide basic training for pets. Rescued pets often bear the deep emotional pain of being abandoned by their owners, whatever the circumstances. Training can also help them regain trust and communication with others.

● Awareness-raising Activities to Reduce Animal Euthanasia

Based on the Ministry of the Environment's "Project for Realizing a Society Where People and Animals Live Happily," the "Action Plan" is a campaign aimed at reducing animal euthanasia and ultimately eliminating it. This plan is being promoted through collaboration between government agencies, animal welfare organizations, NPOs, volunteers, businesses, and pet owners.

The activities described above vary widely depending on the organization. Let's introduce some specific organizations.

What kinds of organizations are there?

Organizations vary depending on their purpose. Examples include nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and general incorporated associations, which are organizations dedicated to volunteering and contributing to society. There are also public interest incorporated foundations, which operate businesses that have a positive social impact and benefit the public.

All organizations use the profits they earn through their work to support their activities. It is our shared philosophy to work to prevent unhappy dogs and cats from being born into society.

Groups in Kanto

【Kanto】

・General Incorporated Association Animal Welfare Organization Rencontrer Mignon (Rencontre Mignon)
This organization operates a shelter for abandoned pets in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. In addition to dogs and cats, they also rescue rabbits, which have recently become a popular pet. In addition to meeting new families, they also provide a place for people to meet volunteers.

Kansai Organizations

【Kansai】

・Japan Animal Trust, a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation
We operate the "Happy House Animal Orphanage" in Toyono District, Osaka Prefecture. We also provide dog training by trainers to help cats find new homes. We also participate in events such as markets, so you may be able to consult with us directly.

・NPO Osaka Neko Club
We care for rescued cats at a cat shelter in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. We are currently recruiting volunteers. In order to create a city free of stray cats, we perform sterilization surgery and health checks on stray cats and actively seek out foster homes for them.

Summary

As mentioned above, there are NPOs and other organizations actively working every day to protect the lives of small dogs and cats. However, the number of pets rescued each year is only increasing, and many facilities providing protection and support are likely overwhelmed.

What we can do is to prevent the number of unhappy pets from increasing. To that end, when you adopt a pet, take responsibility for it until the end of its life. Also, before adopting a pet, stop and think twice about whether you are prepared to make that commitment.

Even if you live alone or move frequently, it's important to carefully consider whether you can truly care for your pet for many years, so that you don't end up giving it up midway through. Pets are very cute and comforting, but pets themselves can't speak, and their owners are everything to them. Don't forget that you are responsibly entrusting their lives to them.