Helping the people and pets in Japan

By Tom Collins

Update: Big OOOPS!! The photo below in the full post is a cropped excerpt from a larger image on the World Vets Facebook page. 

With my son living in Tokyo, I've been especially intent on the news from Japan since Friday. Thankfully, we've been able to communicate several times via email and Skype and he's doing fine so far.

Meanwhile, I've caught glimpses of the outpouring from the pet loving community on blogs, Facebook, Twitter and so on, of compassion and desire to help the people and pets in Japan. So I thought I'd collect a few links to places where we can all pitch in. I'm sure there are more and that others will step up, but here are a few groups that already have feet on the ground:
 - World Vets news and donation page; Facebook page
 - American Red Cross

Or are actively planning their response:
 - International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
 - World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
 - American Humane Association's Red Star Animal Emergency Services

I recalled from the Haiti earthquake that an impressive list of animal welfare organizations from around the world banded together to form ARCH (Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti), but I haven't found a similar umbrella group for Japan, yet. ARCH was led by the IFAW and the WSPA and both have their disaster teams working to find ways to help in Japan.

The WSPA Animals in Disasters Blog caputured the human-animal crisis this way:

... a top challenge for the Japanese authorities managing these shelters will be the need to house families together – families that would consider their ‘families’ are incomplete without their pets.

I'm especially impressed that, not only has World Vets already connected with their colleagues in Japan and is sending a relief team in the next few days, but they are actively communicating with the online pet community to share news and acting on feedback. The ChipIn widget above is a great example: Someone asked on the World Vets Facebook page about getting a PayPal donation option, another persons suggested a ChipIn solution, and voila! In a matter of a few hours World Vets had created a dedicated Japan Animal Aid account at ChipIn.

These are just a few opportunities to help out. I bet a lot of you know of others, or will discover more over the next days and weeks.

Or you'll see great examples of individual efforts.

Please leave a comment share!

Comments

[TPPCtv]

Hi Tom,
So glad you were able to connect with your son. We reposted and linked back to this post. Your family is in our prayers.
Robbin and Joe

[Annette Frey]

Happy to hear that your son is fine Tom. This is so devastating! We are sharing all the efforts as they come in. Always so pleased to see how the animal community comes together and extends a paw in whatever ways each individual and organization can.
All in our prayers.
xo
Annette & the BBL pack

[Caren Gittleman]

Tom I echo the sentiments stated above that I am so happy your son is fine! I am also going to share this...and will pray for your son and everyone in Japan

[Ingrid King]

I'm so glad to hear your son is okay, Tom. Prayers go out to him, and everyone else in Japan.

[twitter.com/Tom_Collins]

Thanks to Robin & Joe, Annette & the pack, Caren, and Ingrid!

Your thoughts and prayers are deeply appreciated, for son Brendan, everyone in Japan, and all the friends and families everywhere wishing they could do more to help.

[Joan DeMartin]

Thanks so much for posting this, Tom. We will do a post on our blog, with a link to this post. So glad to hear your son is O.K.:-)

Bocci, Bella, and Joan

[Miki]

Hello Tom
I'm Miki, live in Yokohama near Tokyo.
I really appreciate for thoughtful post.

A lot of people and animals in Tohoku lost their life, home and family by horrible quake and tunami. Nuclear plants' trouble has occurred. Things seems to get worse.

There are scheduled blackout in Kanto area including Tokyo today in order to avoid sudden and huge blackout. It disrupts the transportation. Many trains stop those service today. My home will loose power from after few hours.

Japan is still suffering from the disaster.

Thank you so much again

Miki

[Glen Woodfin]

That is good to hear that there are lots of people all over the world that are so concern with the animals in Japan that were affected by the disaster. I am an animal lover myself and I really feel for what happened with some pets in Japan.

[Vicki Cook]

Tom - so happy to hear that your son is okay. As you mentioned, many people are already posting links on their blogs, facebook profiles, and twitter. In addition, the twitter anipals are working individually and collectively to do what we can to help. We will be keeping the people and animals of Japan in our thoughts and prayers!

[Heather at New England Pet Hospice]

Thank you for this important information. I will pass it along.

- Heather
Founder and Team Leader
New England Pet Hospice, Inc.
www.NewEnglandPetHospice.com

[twitter.com/Tom_Collins]

Hi and thanks again to Joan, Miki, Glen, Vicki, and Heather!

Miki, glad to hear you're okay and hope your Nono is keeping that positive attitude you mention on your About page. Thanks for taking a moment to let us know your first-hand experience. I hope you'll share some more with us, or on your own blog, as the healing and rebuilding get under way (you have such wonderful photos and videos on your blog!).

Vicki, thanks for the wishes and prayers and noting the efforts of so many, including the Anipals. I know folks aren't looking for reward or recognition, but if you can share any specific examples with links, I do think it helps inspire others who may be wondering what they could do to help so far away.

[Pandafur]

I will post teh linky an pawticipayte Dougal. Iz been so sad for mai anipals in Japan that it feels good to halp even in a little way.

[Miki]

Thank you so much Tom for thoughtful words

[Foreveryanimal]

Very important post - thank you so much! I'll be putting a link to this on my blog with a full list of resources : )

[Maria]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your post! I'm glad your son is ok (really good news indeed!).

I'm currently in the process of sharing this link (in the hope somebody can help these two dogs!)that has been broadcasted on Japanese TV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH113NEpY0k

I don't understand Japanese so I cannot tell if the dogs were being rescued or not.

Please, post the video on as many sites as possible so that somebody can get to them. One of them is badly injured and can hardly move. The other one seems better and is trying to seek for help (also for 'his/her friend'). It is very cold and they are both wet too.

I wish I could help more!!

Thanks for sharing!!

All the best!!

[Laurie Eno]

I am glad to be in such good company, as a blogger.

I've unfortunately just had my first reader chastise me, noting "the entire country needs our help, not just the animals".

True, but I'm not the Red Cross or the UN or CNN. I'm a pet blogger. That's what I do.

Anyhow -- it's good to be reminded that so many other people also care about the animals, and not to the exclusion of humans.

Frustrating to be accused of that, but it's not the first time and it won't be the last!

Laurie Eno
Founder & Editor
The Daily Corgi
http://thedailycorgi.blogspot.com

[Diane and Cosmo @To Dog With Love]

Thanks for all the good info and glad your son is ok!
Diane and Cosmo

[Yvonne DiVita]

Thank you for all the wonderful comments.

@Laurie - many people don't understand that by helping the animals, you help the people, too. The humane thing to do is care for all living creatures - we understand that here. For the folks who don't, I have sympathy. They are missing some wonderful experiences. The rest of us - we treasure all life, and pets are a big part of that. Pets make many people's lives happier, so they deserve the attention and love we give them. And, in disaster situations, they deserve to be saved, too.

[Petsinpolitics.blogspot.com]

Tom,

Thanks for posting this information.

I recently saw an article on how Governor Jerry Brown is selling merchandise endorsed by his dog to help close the state's deficit. The story took me back to FDR's days and how Fala helped raise money for the Britians through the Barkers for Britians.
http://petsinpolitics.blogspot.com/2010/06/travels-with-fdr-becoming-president.html

Any thoughts about organizing an effort?

[Nikita Cat]

Glad to hear your family member is safe, Tom.

In an effort to get the word out to a wider audience I've sent my story link around to some of my Humans favorite sites, that while they are not about animals their writers are animal lovers.

Hopefully they will be inclined to spread the word.

[Discount Mini Lin Croisette]

One should love blogs. They are so tasty.

[Lovebarks.com]

A very scary time for all involved ... thank you for finding the strength to reach out and do what you do to help all involved.

Blessings to you and your family.

[Marjo Laitinen]

Hello Tom!

I`m searching for people, whom lost their homes in this catastrophe in Japan. I live in Finland, but me and my partner would be more than happy to accommodate people. We live in a block house of two bedrooms, so there would be room at least for example two persons. We don`t expect any compensation in return for housing them. I just have always felt some kind of bond to the Japan and this would be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Japanese culture/habits. Unfortunately we can`t afford to buy the plane tickets for evacuees, but if there is someone, who can afford to do this or finds another way to come here, we would be happy to give more information concerning this accommodation.

[FiveSibesMom]

So glad your son is OK. Thank you for sharing this very important information. I will be sure to pass it along.

[Emily-Claire]

Thank you so much for doing this post! That image of the man being reunited with his dog always brings tears to my eyes.

I have started a project to encourage people to donate to three good charities, one being the American Humane Association. I will be making a crane for every dollar that is donated and I hope to get to make 1,000 cranes!

Check it out here: http://www.eclaireart.com/2011/03/1000-paper-crane-project.html

I am so happy to hear that your son is okay. Keep praying for Japan!

[Discount Jordan Shoes]

THE FISH WILL PROBABLY BOIL IN THE HEAT. CAN ANYONE SAY SUSHI???