Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Have a Heart! :(

Photo of a dog behind a chain-link fence at th...

I must say I am a really big admirer of anything Japanese. But recently, I came across an article that has saddened me a lot.

The Japanese are really nice, agreeable people... they are polite, punctual and very hard working. But they have certain quirks that are a little irritating in certain situations. I am talking about the numerous dogs that are abandoned every day in the streets of Japan because their owners had lost interest in them. Now, I am sure this sort of thing is common in all countries of the world... we've heartless bastards everywhere! But what really makes it difficult for these poor creatures is the stigma that is associated with adopting a dog from the shelter.

The Japanese consider anything second-hand as damaged and not worthy of ownership. So, the abandoned dogs are considered 'hand me downs' and so, not many people come forward to take them in and give them a loving home. Since there's always another designer pet shop around the corner that stocks up on the latest trends in canine ownership, why would anyone want hand me downs? This means that the shelters there are hard pressed to find homes for these animals. And since very few people would go to the shelter, these animals have a very bleak future that would last seven days at the most... then, they are euthanized.


But there is still hope for these adorable animals.

"Heart Tokushima" is a non-profit organization that is trying to change the mindset of the people regarding shelter pets. It is a known fact that these animals are a bit more loving than the other pets one buys since they know the harsh realities of the shelter and the bliss of a loving home.

Let us hope things get better for our furry friends out there! And remember... adopt, don't shop! I could give you a million reasons why! :) But all that for another time.

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