Tokyo, Sept. 25 (Jiji Press)–About half of 120 civic groups working in Japan to save and rehome dogs and cats received more requests to take in such animals for protection in the past year than in the preceding year, a private-sector survey shows. According to the survey, conducted by pet care-related company Inuneko-Seikatsu Co., the 120 groups took in a total of 8,718 dogs and cats in the past 12 months. Among the groups, 58, or 48 pct, reported “increases” or “sharp Increases” year on year in protection requests and cases of dogs or cats brought in to them while 20 groups, or 16 pct, saw “deceases” or “sharp decreases.” Asked to give one or more factors behind the rises in protection requests, 51 of the 58 groups cited neglect due to elderly owners’ hospitalization or death. Owners’ failures to manage multiple pets were reported by 38 groups, and births of offspring of feral dogs and cats by 30 groups. The survey of some 530 groups across Japan was carried out online in June and July, with the 120 groups providing valid responses. Inuneko-Seikatsu released the survey results in line with this year’s “be kind to animals week” in Japan, which runs through Saturday. According to the Environment Ministry, prefectural and other local governments took in a total of 39,409 dogs and cats in fiscal 2024, down some 5,000 from the preceding year. The Inuneko-Seikatsu survey suggests that private-sector groups are receiving dogs and cats that were not taken in by governments. “Factors on the human side, such as the aging of owners, are greater than expected,” Inuneko-Seikatsu President Jun Sato said of the increases in protection requests. Sato called for a new framework involving administrative authorities to tackle human-related problems, noting it is difficult for private-sector groups alone to deal with the issue. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
