How to help pets in Japan
Thousands of dogs and cats have been injured or lost in the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Here's how you can help these four-legged victims.
CANINE HELP: Kyoko Nagasawa holds her dog at a shelter in Ofunato in east Japan's Iwate prefecture. They were fortunate to land at a shelter that accepts pets. (Photo: ZUMA Press) 
Comments
help is on the way little guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."
We as animal lovers have to keep in mind that those who demean and insult us for caring are simply speaking from a place of ignorance. I pity them.
And I don't say that I pity them to be condescending. I really feel sad for them because they're missing out on one of the wonderful joys life has to offer. I want them to experience what the rest of us already know. And just having a dog in the backyard isn't the point. I mean the real bond that you can have. It's truly enlightening.
When everything else in my world is pissing me off, my boss is driving me crazy, my family ignores me, my so-called friends only call me when they need something, I can ALWAYS depend on my pets to be there for me. They love unconditionally and never put you down! I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have that in their life. No matter how many "good" people you may have around you, you can never really count 100% on them being there when you need them. Anyone who says people have never hurt.... More
If you have no compassion for animals/pets, then you most likely don't have the capacity to have true compassion for people either. Why would you not help a living creature that could not help it self? PLEASE HELP THE PETS! It's the right thing to do! Thank god for animal lovers. All living things count and deserve to be helped! To all the shallow people who think that animals should just suffer- I hope YOU are in need some day and nobody has the compassion to help you.
If I were in a disaster and got separated from my pets and someone brought them back to me I would be more grateful to them for that than if they managed to save ALL my material belongings! Things can be replaced, people AND pets cannot! Saying I could go and get another dog is like telling a mother who lost a child that she can just go have another baby! I am sure those people who get reunited with their beloved pets (who most people consider family!) would find getting a pet back a lot of.... More
Amen, amen, amen! Thank God some of us have the compassion and commonsense to help ALL IN NEED, and to look at the needs from a wider perspective.
Animal lovers: this is what you should be concerned with, if you care about animals:
The Vanishing World. We depend on nature and animals to survive. Pollution, eating species into extinction and massacre of environment happens on global scale: sacred and very needed by life on Earth trees are being massacred by human predator. Gold mining, illegal tree cutting, illegal ranching in Amazon already destroyed a lot of sacred trees. Animals' habitat is disappearing with exponential.... More
I'm sure some folks don't love my dogs as much as I do and I understand that, can you remember the last time a friend called you from jail or wrecked your car, failed to repay back money they owed you,lied to you, stole from you,this has never happened between my dogs and I so why do I love my pets more than people. Because they are always loyal............
You love your pets more than people?? You are in dire need of some mental help! Animals are great, but we must always remember that they are only animals. You don't really believe that your pets think like you , do you? I sincerly hope you do not have children.
People are only animals, too, actually. We are mammals, just like a dog or cat is a mammal. You fail to realize how narrow-minded your thoughts are. Maybe these people do prefer not to have children, or maybe they just have a capacity to love both. I hope you sincerely never own animals. Please seek professional help for your lack of compassion and empathy. The last thing this world needs is a self-centered jerk.
People are only animals, too, actually. We are mammals, just like a dog or cat is a mammal. You fail to realize how narrow-minded your thoughts are. Maybe these people do prefer not to have children, or maybe they just have a capacity to love both. I hope you sincerely never own animals. Please seek professional help for your lack of compassion and empathy. The last thing this world needs is a self-centered jerk.
I have a child but I also have 2 dogs and 1 cat. I would do whatever I had to to save all of them and I know my son would agree with me! Our pets are like our children and to say that they don't think like us is ridiculous. They not only have thoughts and feelings but they look to us to aid them in these situations and provide for them. I commend all the pet owners and organizations doing whatever they can to save the animals of Japan. For many of these people their animals are all they.... More
You should be one to talk about needing mental help! You think animals don't have feelings? They may not have the intelligence to do calculus, but they feel pain, love, loyalty same as any person! That you've never experienced that with a pet is sad! I sincerely hope YOU have no children. I'd hate to think of another generation being raised with such low moral standards and lack of compassion!
You people are scary. Your mindset is absolutely mind-boggling. You would rather DIE than leave an ANIMAL behind? Look, I'm a cat person, and I love my kitty an awful lot. She's a stray that I found wandering around one day, thin and hungry and getting rained on. I took her home, gave her food, shelter, and love; and have had the patience to put up with her needing 3 months to figure out the whole 'litter box' thing. She's sitting in my lap purring away as I type this. That having been said,.... More
Why go out of your way to insult others? What if the person you save, instead of your cat, turns out to be one of those "scary people" you're ranting about? You say you want to eliminate people in one sentence but then you want to save people in the next. Which is it? You don't even know.
I feel truly sorry for any pets you have! Humans like you are the reason I prefer animals and will continue to, though I would help anyone animal or human I found in need. I don't any race, religion or SPECIES to be inferior and not deserving of compassion!
You would gladly KILL one living creature to save another you consider superior? That you can even think such a thing is evil beyond comprehension! Normal decent people do not think that way! Do the world a favor and please do.... More
There's no need for you to feel sorry for my cat. She's healthy, happy, well-fed and well-loved; which is a big change of pace from when she was a malnourished street kitten trying not to die in the middle of winter. I do my best to be a loving and responsible pet owner, it's just that in a survival situation I will NEVER place her life above that of a human's. It's not that she wouldn't deserve compassion in that scenario, it's just that she's an animal, and not a particularly productive.... More
kids don't work or produce food. maybe you should kill them too for the sake of more productive human survival.
everybody's different, and cares about different things. Animal lovers just ask that you respect their right to care about the animals. They are compassionate people. To descend the conversation into "you're scary", "you need help", "we don't want your genes in the gene pool" is just incredibly low class. I bet you know many animal lovers and would never have the nerve to tell any of them this to their face. You are acting like an ugly human being which is precisely why so many animal.... More
"I love my pets more than people"
"kids don't work or produce food. maybe you should kill them too"
"I would stay behind and die rather than leave my babies behind!"
"My fur babies are just as important as any kid out there"
"You are an evil pig. Animals are so much more important in the world then you would ever be."
"I gave nothing to help the human Katrina "victims"....Saving those people would only mean they'd be able to harm more pets in the future and raise.... More
I would also like to add that the reason you find people's attitudes about humans having no greater importance than animals scary is likely due to the simple fact that it differs from your own beliefs. People fear what they don't understand. But it's not crazy, as you would like to imply, it has been a belief held by Buddhists for centuries. I challenge you to explore the concept that people having different beliefs than yours doesn't necessarily make them wrong. I can accept that you are.... More
The things you said were ugly, period. And you know it; that was the very intention behind it. I agree that many of the comments here, even from animal lovers, have been over the top. Probably due to emotions running high from being attacked by people like you trying to tell them that they are bad people who should be eliminated. I think the more cynical people here simply recognize the fact that humans are the cause of most of the suffering in the world. Humans do terrible things, to not.... More
I want to say first that I respect your choosing to have a civil discussion regarding my comments, and I am grateful for the lack of overly-emotional hyperbole that I've been seeing from many other posters here. I suspect that ultimately we will never agree on this matter; but I did read and reflect on your comments and I am grateful that you took the time to elaborate on your point of view in a manner that was civil, reasonable, and intelligent. I did agree with some of your statements, and.... More
When I said you think the scary people who value an animal's life as much or more than a human's should be eliminated, I didn't think you meant them personally, I was referring to your comment about how they shouldn't breed, effectively eliminating "their kind". If you were offended by my comment that you find these people scary because you don't understand them, yes, I may be projecting, or supposing, but it is a common thing that happens to everyone, so it seemed a logical conclusion. It.... More
That's really nice of you to not slight the inferior gene pool for wanting to contribute some of their own money to help support animal causes. I hope at some point many of these pets are reunited with their owners in Japan. I hope it brings someone great joy to see their pet again after losing so much. I hope that the money I donate does that for someone and someone's pet. I'm glad you have your idea of living but maybe spending your time insulting others or trying to show people how.... More
Anyone who says the life of ANY living creature is less important should be ashamed of themselves! The fact that you aren't ashamed is what scares US! I hope you stop breeding! We do not need more people like you in the world. You are the ones who have your priorities mixed up! If you truly cared about people as much as you claim to, you'd care about the feelings of those pet lovers who lost their family member! They are suffering and grieving as much as anyone who lost a human family.... More
If you had taken the time to actually read what I have stated, you would have noticed that I am in fact a pet owner, and am extraordinarily fond of my kitty. I still would never value her life over that of another human's. At the end of the day, she's just an animal, not a person. I feel badly that people experiencing natural disasters have lost something valuable and comforting to them, but just because one feels strong emotions does not make them correct. Truth is truth.
I have been reading your erratic comments here. I think the most valuable thing you can take from your own mind is the part where you said, " just because one feels strong emotions does not make them correct. Truth is truth." You truth apparently isn't everyone else's truth. Actually, you are quite the minority if you haven't noticed. Isn't there anyone who'll stand up with poor Andy and bash those who are capable of loving all living beings? I want to really creep you out! Andy, I have.... More
I happen to be vegan, have been for over 30 years. I'd have NO trouble surviving any disaster and I could do it without killing any animal! I'm not arrogant enough to think one life is more important than another! Why is it that you "humans first" people always think in such black and white terms? For you it's always a choice between human or animal, as if saving BOTH is impossible! Your thoughts always immediately go to killing or abandoning a pet. That you can SO quickly make that.... More
You are dead on. These people actually scare me.
My 3 pugs are my kids and my life. How dare any of you losers tell me you kid is more important than my kids. Sick perspectives. I would never leave my little men behind. If the shelter wouldn't take them I wouldn't be going either. If it came to food rationing my boys would get excatly what I got. If we were going to die--we would all die together as a family. Thank God I was blessed with the heart I have. I feel so sorry for the people that feel pets "are not as important as humans." .... More
WOW!! your PETS are not kids. why do think in this crazy way? I have 2 dogs and they are great companions but they are NOT my kids. My KIDS are my kids!! You people are sick just like those animal hoarders on TV that think they are helping!!
The world is overpopulated with 7 billion people and you're having kids?! You should thank those of us who choose to adopt animal kids and NOT contribute to the pollution and overpopulation your kids are causing! You're the one that's crazy!
I totally agree with you Mike!!!! I have 3 cats and 1 dog and would NEVER, EVER, leave any one of them behind in a disaster. They are my fur babies and my "kids". I could never imagine living in a world where I had to chose if a human or an animal's life was worth more. After seeing and witnessing what "humans" do to animals, I would lay my life on the line for an animal more than a human!!!
God Bless all those proper humans who value every life and not just that of a "human". Every life.... More
I totally agree with you Mike!!!! I have 3 cats and 1 dog and would NEVER, EVER, leave any one of them behind in a disaster. They are my fur babies and my "kids". I could never imagine living in a world where I had to chose if a human or an animal's life was worth more. After seeing and witnessing what "humans" do to animals, I would lay my life on the line for an animal more than a human!!!
God Bless all those proper humans who value every life and not just that of a "human". Every life.... More
I agree with you Mike and Lori 100%!! I would stay behind and die rather than leave my babies behind! Thank God for people like you two and the other kind hearted animal lovers posting here! YOU are the reason I haven't given up on humanity altogether! The world needs more animal lovers and the bigots who think humans are superior and MORE deserving than any other creature can go to hell!
I don't need any "help" thank you very much! I like myself just the way I am!
I am 150% with you and Mike. Who gives other the right to make decisions that are right for another individual and to tell them who deserves to be loved and saved. If more people loved all animals and treated them with the respect they deserved, the world would be a better place. Humans think ":thou shall not kill" applies only to them.
You need only see the video of the injured spaniel who stayed by the side of his weakened canine friend to see animals are just as capable as humans of feelings, compassion, empathy and loyalty. I would never leave my 3 furkids behind, if they were not accepted where I sought refuge then we would fend for ourselves, and to hell with those who find this foolish!
I am 150% with you and Mike. Who gives other the right to make decisions that are right for another individual and to tell them who deserves to be loved and saved. If more people loved all animals and treated them with the respect they deserved, the world would be a better place. Humans think ":thou shall not kill" applies only to them.
I am 150% with you and Mike. Who gives other the right to make decisions that are right for another individual and to tell them who deserves to be loved and saved. If more people loved all animals and treated them with the respect they deserved, the world would be a better place. Humans think ":thou shall not kill" applies only to them.
I am 150% with you and Mike. Who gives other the right to make decisions that are right for another individual and to tell them who deserves to be loved and saved. If more people loved all animals and treated them with the respect they deserved, the world would be a better place. Humans think ":thou shall not kill" applies only to them.
My fur babies are just as important as any kid out there. They are also God's creations and have no less value in this world then any "human".
I would save my babies or we would all die together. I would always make sure they had food, if there wasn't enough for all of us, they eat first, and every decision I'd make would be on what is best for them.
I agree with those who say they are trying to save their animals. Animals are just as important as humans, and are God's creations as we are, and deserve as much care and love and food as we do. I know if the tsunami had hit while I was in Japan with my animals, I would try to save them along with myself - there is no other way in my book.
but unfortunately no brain. Whatever you people believe, I am against animal cruelty of any kind and believe not only should there be much, much harsher penalties for it, but if someone is found guilty of harming an animal, they should be required to get help along with jail as it shows there is a real problem with that person mentally. After having made that clear though, posts like yours are scary, they really are Mike.
The article also mentions wildlife. I agree w/ the poster who mentioned human waste of financial resources on things we don't need. It hurts people & domestic/wild animals. Anyone who wants to donate to reputable charitable organizations of any kind for creatures, including homosapiens, anywhere around the globe are OK in my book.
Don't understand why some of you people even click on a pet story if you hate animals so much. You just want to see how much controversy you can stir up. Most people that donate to animals have already done something for people. Animal lovers refuse to ignore the fur-children that the disaster victims love and we will do what we can to help them too. If you don't want to help animals than go to another story about human victims and leave pet lovers alone on this story!
I write checks.... More
you are wasting my resources to do so. Whatever our stupid capitalistic society makes us believe, that car you own is not just yours, but all of ours. We live on an earth with a finite amount of resources, which are getting scarcer all the time. We need to start reining in irresponsible spending, and while there are massive amounts of irresponsible spending (i.e. war) that we can ALSO rein in, sending 30 dollars a month to some stupid kitten in Thailand (I know people who do this) is one of.... More
How are your resources being wasted? Are you talking communism? If someone donates money to kittens in Thailand, instead of buying a case of beer, does it really offend you more? An earth with finite resources is a completely different topic. Finite resources, by the way, being depleted by human greed. If you want to rein in spending a good start would be to not have children. Don't become addicted to anything or eat unhealthy food because now you'll cost other people money. Don't get an.... More
