We received unsettling information today that jumped us into upping our security for the safety of our rescued animals under treatment and for my children who spend time at our clinic while we are out running errands.

Our clinic is private property, as is our shelter, and "visiting" at off hours for malicious purposes is trespass (and petty and inappropriate at least).

Going through our records, the online slander/harassment started in May of 2020. Four years is a long time to be on the receiving end of bullying and although we try to take the high road, I personally have had a moment of weakness in the past in which I said a few choice words to the culprit. I'm not sorry about it.  

Animal rescue is hard enough. But to feel on high-alert because of another local animal rescue is out to get you is sad and backwards.  

It happens everywhere, though.
Some advice I found on-line written by Inga Fricke on the Humane Society of the United States page:

"People outside the field are often surprised to learn how intense and relentless the attacks can be on those of us working in animal shelters and rescues. They can’t begin to imagine living through what we accept as just an unfortunate part of the job.

When they ask why this happens, the only explanation I can offer is that animal work brings out a lot of passion in many people. When channeled positively, that passion inspires miracles. When channeled negatively, it’s brutal and cuts straight to the heart.

For those on the receiving end, the impact is real. Nothing hurts more than devoting your life’s work to animals only to be told that you’re incompetent, or worse, you just don’t care. I’m no longer surprised when I hear of another peer leaving the field, or worse yet, leaving us permanently. Animal welfare workers are subject to many of the same stresses that cause veterinarians to have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession.

It's hard for people outside the sheltering and rescue field to truly understand the work that we do and the difficult decisions we face every day. But at least those of us working or volunteering in animal welfare should be able to agree that we’re in this battle for the animals together. Infighting only serves to make all our lives more difficult and consumes time and energy that could be spent helping animals."

私たちはスペイクリニックを持ち、猫や市民を助けることができることにとても感謝しています。 私たちのクライアントのほとんどは、自分たちで不妊去勢手術を行っており、私たちだけではできないほど多くの猫たちを助けています。
しかし時には、TNRを行うために猫の捕獲や輸送の助けが必要な場合もあります。私たちはそのお手伝いもできます。
県西部の人里離れた山間部で、約50匹の猫が老夫婦によって餌付けされていた。このようなケースの多くがそうであるように、猫の数は何年も前から増え続けていた。 もちろん、避妊・去勢手術は必要なのだが、どうしたらいいのかわからないということだった。私たちに相談があり、すぐにTNRを実施する計画を立てた。
3日間かかった。初日は罠とケージを敷地に運び、捕獲の計画を立てる。 2日目、20匹の猫が運ばれ、手術された。3日目、21匹の猫。合計41匹の猫がTNRされた。獣医、クリニックのスタッフ、ボランティアの皆さんに心から感謝しています🙏。
約7匹の猫は捕獲が困難であることが判明し、2匹が今日捕獲され、手術された。 残りの5匹は捕獲後、避妊・去勢手術を行う予定です。
We are so grateful to have a spay clinic and be able to help cats and citizens.  Most of our clients do the footwork themselves, which helps so many more cats than we could ever do on our own.
Sometimes, however, people need help capturing and transporting cats to be able to do TNR. We can help with that as well.
About 50 cats were being fed by an elderly couple in an isolated mountain area of the western area of the prefecture. As with most cases like this, the number of cats had been increasing for years.  Of course, it was necessary to spay and neuter the cats but the family felt overwhelmed and were unsure what to do. We were contacted for advice and soon made a plan to conduct TNR.
It took three days. The first day to bring traps and carry cages to the property and plan for trapping.  The second day, 20 cats were transported and operated on. The third day 21 cats. a total of 41 cats fixed and returned. We are so grateful to our vets, clinic staff and volunteers🙏
About 7 cats proved difficult to capture, 2 were caught today and operated on.  The remaining 5 will be spay/neutered once they are trapped.
A big "otsukaresama" to everyone involved.

⚠️ Graphic photos below ⚠️

Red and Poko's owner passed away and we were contacted by the daughter who lives in Kanto. She was unable take them in due to life circumstances.  A neighbor had been feeding them since they had been left alone and the two 10 year old poodles need somewhere to go, so we agreed to take them in.
レッドとポコの飼い主が亡くなり、県外に住む身内の方から連絡があった。こちらの方はお住まいの事情で引き取れないとのことでした。 10歳になる2匹のトイプードルには行き場が必要だったので、引き取ることにしました。

They had been obviously loved and cared for by their owner but neither of them had been spayed/neutered.
Even at their age, it is important and any intact animals that comes into our care is neutered.  Our main focus for fixing our animals before adoption is to make sure they do not breed and add to the pet over-population problem but also for the benefit of eliminating and reducing the risk of certain cancers (uterine, ovarian, mammary for females and testicular for males)  and a potentially fatal uterine infection, pyometra, in females.  
この2匹は飼い主に愛され、大切にされてきたことは明らかでしたが、2匹とも避妊・去勢手術を受けていませんでした。
彼らの年齢であっても、手術は重要であり、私たちの保護下にある動物はすべて避妊去勢出をしています。 私たちが里親募集の前に動物たちを避妊去勢するのは、動物たちが繁殖してペットの過剰繁殖の問題を引き起こさないようにするためですが、特定の癌（子宮癌、卵巣癌、乳腺癌、精巣癌など）の予防のためでもあります。

Both Poko and Red are very healthy for their age.  Besides Red's very bad oral health (a reason for owners to take care of their dog or cat's teeth!) both were given a health check and no concerns were raised. 
ポコもレッドも年齢の割にはとても健康だ。 レッドの口腔の健康状態が非常に悪かったこと（飼い主が犬や猫の歯の手入れをする理由）以外に、2匹とも健康チェックを受け、懸念事項は指摘されなかった。

Poko's spay operation came as a surprise when we found her reproductive organs full of tumors.
​ It seems that the cancer hasn't spread elsewhere but there is a possibility that it may show up somewhere in the future.  These health risk could have been eliminated if she had been spayed at a younger age.
​ポコの避妊手術は、彼女の生殖器が腫瘍でいっぱいであることを発見して驚きました。
癌は他の場所には広がっていないようですが、将来どこかに現れる可能性はあります。 もっと若いうちに避妊手術をしていれば、こうした健康上のリスクはなかったかもしれない。

This bonded pair luckily were adopted together and left HEART earlier this week for their new life.  We are very grateful to their new family for opening their hearts to these older poodles❤️
この絆で結ばれたペアは幸運にも一緒に新しい家族として迎えられることになり、今週初めに新しい生活のためにHEARTから巣立っていきました。 この高齢のプードルたちに心を開いてくださった新しいご家族にとても感謝しています❤️​
​

私たちのスペイクリニックは、猫たちだけでなく、猫たちを助けたいと願う市民を助けるために、無料の不妊・去勢手術キャンペーンを実施することもあります。 個人で近所の猫を助けやすくし、経済的な負担を軽減することは、双方にとってメリットがあります。
徳島には多くのTNRボランティアがいますが、より多くの人が猫を助けることで、野良猫の数をより早く減らすことができると信じています。 Trap-Neuter-Returnは技術ではなく、適切な設備と必要な指導があれば誰にでもできることです。私たちのクリニックは誰でも利用でき、捕獲器の貸し出しや使い方の指導も行っています。開院して3年になりますが、400人以上の顧客ファイルがあります。 これは、近所の猫たちを助けている人たちの数です。
野良猫の捕獲方法を知らない人もいます。数に圧倒されることもある。あるいはクリニックまでの交通手段がない。私たちはそのようなことすべてをお手伝いすることができますが、中にはTNRボランティアに依頼することもあるでしょう。
私たちのスペイクリニックのことや、私たちが提供できるサポートについて知らない人もいます。最近、TNRをボランティアに依頼した方が、ボランティアから当院の通常費用の2倍以上の金額（当院の無料キャンペーンを利用しているにもかかわらず）をボランティアから請求されたという話を聞きました。私たちはとてもがっかりしました。 私たちは、これが詐欺なのか当人同士の話ができていなかったのかは分かりませんが、費用をボランティアに支払った方に申し訳なく思っていますし、他の猫のために使えたはずのお金を無駄にしてしまったことも残念に思っています。

​We sometimes run free spay/neuter campaigns at our clinic to help cats as well as the citizens that wish to help them.  Making it easier for individuals to help their neighborhood cats but lifting the financial burden is a win-win for both.
Although there are many TNR volunteers in Tokushima, we believe that the more people helping cats will help to decrease the stray cat population at a faster rate.  Trap-Neuter-Return is not a skill, but something anyone can do with the right equiptment and guidance where needed. Our clinic is open for anyone to use, and we can loan traps and teach our clients how to use them. It's been three years since our clinic opened, and we have 400 client files.  That's a lot of people helping the cats in their neighborhoods.
Sometimes people don't how to catch stray cats. Or feel overwhelmed by numbers. Or don't have transportation to and from the clinic. We can help with all of those things at no extra cost.
Sometimes people don't know about our spay clinic or the support we can provide and we were very disappointed to  hear that these people have been taken advantage of by TNR volunteers that use our clinic, billing individuals that they have helped double or more of our regular spay/neuter fee of 5000yen, even while using our free campaigns.  We feel badly for the people that have been scammed and also for the money wasted that could have been used for other cats.

Late last month, we got a call from an individual that lives near our clinic.  They had found a Border Collie wandering around the neighborhood and weren't sure what to do.  
A quick check for a microchip and then a phone call, we were in touch with his owners. The dog had gotten out while they were at work and they would pick him up on their way home.  
​先月の末、当クリニックの近くに住んでいる方から電話がありました。近所をウロウロしているボーダーコリーを見つけたが、どうしていいかわからないとのことでした。
マイクロチップの確認をし、その後電話をかけたところ、飼い主と連絡が取れました。犬は飼い主が仕事中に逃げ出してしまったとのことで、帰り道に迎えに来るとのことでした。

If the dog hadn't found his way to us just around the corner, he may have ended up at animal control where operating hours are working hours and a fee is charged for an animals return to owner.  Being transported to Kamiyama and to be housed at their facility would have been very stressful for the dog. We are glad we were contacted and could make the whole process as hassle-free and stress-free as possible.
もしその犬がちょうど角を曲がったところにある私たちのクリニックにたどり着いていなかったら、動物管理センターに行っていたかもしれません。動物管理センターの営業時間は通常の勤務時間と重なり、動物を飼い主に返すためには手数料がかかります。神山の施設に運ばれて収容されることは、犬にとって非常にストレスの多い状況になっていたでしょう。私たちに連絡をいただけて、全体のプロセスをできるだけ簡単でストレスの少ないものにできたことを嬉しく思っています。

Under Japan's "Act on Welfare and Management of Animals" revised in 2022, it became mandatory for cats and dogs sold by breeders and pet shops to implant microchips to register the owner's details.  
Owners are advised to voluntarily microchip their pets and register them with the Ministry of the Environment, however it's estimated that only about 25% of pets have been microchipped.
2022年に改正された日本の「動物の愛護及び管理に関する法律」により、ブリーダーやペットショップが販売する猫や犬には、飼い主の情報を登録するためのマイクロチップの埋め込みが義務付けられました。
飼い主には自主的にペットにマイクロチップを埋め込み、環境省に登録することが推奨されていますが、実際にはペットの約25%しかマイクロチップが埋め込まれていないと推定されています。

It costs about 3000 yen to have a microchip implanted at a veterinary clinic (clinic prices vary so make sure to ask before making an appointment) but it could save you and your pet a lot of trouble and heartbreak if your pet is to go missing.
動物病院でマイクロチップを埋め込むには約3000円かかるが（料金はクリニックによって異なるので、予約の前に必ず問い合わせること）、ペットが行方不明になった場合、飼い主とペットの心を傷つけずにすむかもしれない。

Don't forget to tag your pet as well. A phone number attached to a collar will help any good samaritan contact you to let you know your pet is looking to come home.
ペットにタグをつけることも忘れずに。首輪に電話番号を付けておけば、善きサマリア人がペットが家に帰りたがっていることを連絡してくれる。

​Veterinary clinics, government animal controls and some police stations have microchip readers. Nowadays, they can be purchased on-line for a few thousand yen so we hope that local police boxes, etc. in Tokushima will have them on hand soon enough and the process of returning lost pets will be streamlined with fewer animals finding themselves at animal control.
動物病院や行政の動物管理局、一部の警察署にはマイクロチップの読み取り機が設置されています。最近では、オンラインで数千円で購入できるようになったので、徳島の地元の交番などにも早く設置され、迷子になったペットが戻ってくるプロセスが合理化され、動物管理局に持ち込まれる動物が減ることを願っています。​

Suzu is a new rescue but we have known her for over a year now. 
We were introduced to her and her family by a social welfare office that were concerned about her Suzu and her owners ability to care for her.  13 years old, extremely over-weight and a skin condition due to allergies. We visited the home numerous times over the past year to check on Suzu's well-being, trim her nails and to provide the owners preventive medications and dog food to help control Suzu's allergies. 

With one of Suzu's human family members recently hospitalized and the other refusing to be admitted for a terminal illness with worry about what would happen to Suzu, we were contacted by the government social welfare devision for advice.  After a couple of weeks visiting the home to care for Suzu and reassuring her senior owner she would be taken care of at HEART, her owner agreed to relinquish Suzu into our care.  On the day of her admission to hospital, Suzu came to HEART. We wanted them to spend as long as they could together before saying good-bye.  

Sometimes dog and cat owners don't have the resources or knowledge to do what's best for their pet, as in the case of Suzu. Her family loved her but needed support and we were happy to help keep Suzu with the people she loved for as long as we could and when that wasn't possible anymore, to provide support for both for her owner to get the medical care she needed.

In cases like this, we don't receive nor ask for donations or financial support from anyone involved. We do it for the animals and the people that care about them.
We seldom have time to post on this blog or anywhere else on the net as we are far too busy. The recognition from those we help is all we need. But we do need to get stories like Suzu's out there so we can continue our important work. ​

Yumetaro was found at a TNR site in July in obvious need of medical treatment.  

As we waited for a date for surgery to remove his eye, we opted for a specific eye medication and were surprised by the results.  Within a couple weeks, Yumetaro's eye receded and he would no longer need an operation.

Now a month on, he no longer needs any special treatment and he is ready for a home❤️  

Someone sent a message the other day asking for us to explain how we can tell ear-clipped cats don't have an injury instead of a surgical cut.
Like v-cuts, straight cuts aren't going to be perfect all the time and opinions are different depending on which someone prefers.
先日、ある方から「ストレートカットが怪我でないことを、どうやって見分けるのか説明してほしい」というメッセージをいただきました。
Vカットもそうですが、ストレートカットも常に完璧というわけではありませんし、どちらを好むかによって意見が分かれるところです。

​America's largest TNR organization recently posted this on social media about cats in Turkey..
​アメリカ最大のTNR団体は最近、トルコの猫についてソーシャルメディアにこのように投稿した。

And a while back one of Japan's largest spay/neuter organization posted this same thing about cats in Turkey but with a completely opposite information and opinion.
​そして少し前に、日本最大の避妊・去勢手術団体のひとつが、トルコの猫についてこれと同じことを投稿したが、まったく正反対の情報と意見だった。

So, as you can see, opinions will differ.  And if a cat does receive an injury on its ear, it may be hard to distinguish either.  
​An ear-clip is a cut that is straight across, so an ear injury that will result in a perfectly straight injury is almost impossible.  
​
このように、意見は分かれるだろう。 また、猫が耳に怪我をした場合、見分けるのは難しいかもしれない。 

ストレートというのは横にまっすぐな切り傷ですから、完全にまっすぐな傷になるような耳の怪我はほとんどありえません。

These two cats had  v-cuts at another clinic before they were rescued.  This is one of the clinics that the group in Tokushima that is opposed to us doing straight cuts uses.  One of their arguments is that a straight cut may be mistaken as an injury. 
​この2匹の猫は保護される前に別の徳島の動物病院でVカットを受けていました。 この動物病院は、私たちがストレートカットをすることに反対している徳島のTNR団体が利用している動物病院の一つです。 彼らの主張のひとつは、ストレートカットは怪我と間違われる可能性があるということです。

The following two cats were neutered at our clinic when we did v-cut.
​以下の2匹は、当院で去勢手術をした際にVカットを受けた猫です。

So as you can see, there are many different shapes and sizes. You can scroll through the organizations social media above and see many variations.
​このように、さまざまな形や大きさがある。上記の各団体のソーシャルメディアをスクロールすると、多くのバリエーションを見ることができるでしょう。

This cat has a straight cut.  Not perfect either, but perfectly noticeable by anyone that works with cats or are involved with TNR or veterinarians doing spay/neuters.  
​この猫はストレートカットです。 完璧ではないが、猫に関わる仕事をしている人、TNRに携わっている人、避妊・去勢手術をしている獣医師なら誰でもわかるでしょう。

Occasionally, cats with v-cuts come to our clinic and we certainly wouldn't put them under to alter their ear again.  It may be stressful to be re-captured and transferred to a clinic but this isn't an issue only for cat's with straight cuts. It's also good chance to give them any treatment they may need. 
Our opinion is that both v-cuts and straight cuts are both acceptable methods for identifying cats that have been spayed/neutered.  We aren't asking or expecting anyone else to change the way they prefer to do things and we ask for the same respect.
たまにV字カットの猫が来院することがありますが、私たちはそのような猫に再び耳カットの手術をすることはありません。 再捕獲されて動物病院に移送されるのはストレスかもしれませんが、これはストレートカットの猫だけの問題ではありません。また、違う考え方をすれば、必要な治療を処置してあげれる良い機会でもあります。
私たちの意見としては、Vカットもストレートカットも、避妊・去勢手術を受けた猫を識別する方法としてはどちらも許容範囲内です。 私たちは、他の誰に対しても、自分達が好む方法に変えるよう求めたり期待したりはしていません。どちらも同じように尊重してくれることをお願いしています。​

⚠️⚠️Graphic Photos⚠️⚠️

生々しい写真と内容ばかりで申し訳ありませんが、私たちが毎日直面している現実です。

数週間前、このオス猫はTNRの現場に現れ、明らかに早急な助けが必要な状態でした。 緊急治療のために私たちのクリニックに連れてこられました。
​
I sorry about all the graphic photos and content but it's a reality we face everyday. 

A few weeks ago this male cat showed up at a TNR site and was in obvious need of immediate help.  He was trapped and brought to our clinic for emergency treatment.  

今はほとんど成猫のようですが、彼は幼い子猫の頃に首に紐のようなものを巻かれ、それが深く食い込んでいた。 彼がずっと生き延びてきたのは驚くべきことだで、彼が耐えてきた痛みは想像もできない。
​Now almost full grown, he had some type of rope tied around his neck when he was a young kitten, and it was now deeply embedded.  It's amazing he survived all this time but we can't imagine the pain that he must have endured.

His wounds are healing and he is doing well but still needs regular attention to his wound until it's completely healed.  He is slowly getting used to us humans so we'll see how things go.
​傷は治りつつあり、元気に過ごしているが、完全に治るまでは定期的なケアが必要です。 彼は少しずつ私たち人間に慣れてきているので、様子を見ることにしよう。

(English follows)  
私は長い間この活動をしているが、いじめは常にあった。これは日本だけの現象ではなく、世界中にある。グループやボランティア、個人を互いに対立させ、非を探し、他人の名前を中傷し、自分の主張を認めさせるレスキュー文化はどこにでもある。
私は常に王道を歩もうとしてきたが、人間である以上、プレッシャーで折れてしまうこともある。この活動は、私たちが目にする苦しみや、困っている動物たちの無限の可能性を考えると、十分に大変なものだ。 私たちと同じ目標を持つ人たちが、私たちを陥れようとするのはつらいことです。

私たちは来月、開院から3年を迎えます。今月には、避妊・去勢手術を行った猫の数が5000匹を超えます。徳島の人たちや猫たちのために、手頃な価格で大量の避妊・去勢手術を提供するために、私たちは多くの犠牲を払ってきました。そして、私たちはこの5ヶ月間、同じ徳島市内のTNR/猫保護団体からオンラインで嫌がらせを受けてききました。 いじめの理由は耳カットの形です。

昨年、TNRの現場などで耳カットされた猫が捨てられているケースがあったため、当院で避妊・去勢手術を受けた猫を識別するために、耳カットをストレートに変更することにしました。 当院に猫を持ち込むクライアントがこれまで300件以上もあり、大量の猫が来院するため、写真や毛色だけでは猫を識別することが不可能でした。経済的にマイクロチップを入れることはできませんが、ストレートカットであれば、当院で避妊・去勢手術を受けた猫であることを確認し、適切な処置をとることができます。 

このような反発を受けるとは想像もしていませんでした。
私たちのクライアントや徳島でTNRを行っている他のボランティアからではなく、ある特定のTNR・猫保護団体からです。そのグループのリーダーから1本、リーダーの大阪の知り合いのTNR関係者から1本。県外の方からのメールが2件、インスタグラムのメッセージが1件。合計5件です。 
念のため日本国内の大きな団体にも問い合わせたが、いずれも耳カットの形に問題はないとのことでした。 
裏付けがないにもかかわらず、その団体は耳カットをV字に戻すことを要求するオンライン署名を開始し、オンラインでの執拗な嫌がらせは信じられないほどです。

彼らが何を望んでいるのか、私にはわからない。Vもストレートも、避妊・去勢手術を受けた地域猫を識別する方法として、どちらも受け入れられるものであって、最も重要な事は、避妊・去勢手術で繁殖を止めることです。

私たちは皆、同じ目標に向かって活動しているはずなのに、他人を引き裂くことにあまりにも多くの時間が費やされている。 もし私たち全員が協力し合えば、動物のために最も大きな変化をもたらすことができるはずだと言いたいのですが、20年近く動物活動に携わってきた経験から、一部の人たちとは協力し合うという選択肢はありえないこと、そして最も苦しむのは動物たちであることを学びました。
​

I've been doing this work for a long time and we've always had bullies. It's not a  phenomenon specific to Japan.. but all over the world. The abusive rescue culture is everywhere with groups and volunteers and individuals pitted against each other, looking for fault and to smear others names.

I've always tried to take the high road but I am human and sometimes snap under the pressure. This work is hard enough with the suffering we see and endlessness of animals in need.  It hurts when others with the same goal as ours are trying to bring us down.

We will be celebrating three years since our clinic opened next month. We will surpass 5000 cats spayed/neutered on site this month. We've sacrificed a lot to offer this affordable/high-volume clinic for the people and cats of Tokushima. And we have been being harassed on-line for the past 5 months by TNR/cat rescue organization in our same city.  The reason for the bullying: ear-shape.

Due to cases of ear-notch cats being abandoned at TNR sites, etc. last year, we decided to change Tokushima Spay Clinic ear cut to ear-tip in order to identify cats that had been spay/neutered at our clinic.  With 300 clients bringing cats to our clinic and the large volume of cats coming in, it was impossible to identify cats from photos and fur color alone. Financially we aren’t able to microchip each cat but with a straight cut, we can be certain that a cat was vetted at our clinic and take the appropriate action.  

I couldn't have imagined the backlash. Not from our clients or other volunteers doing TNR in Tokushima, but from one specific TNR/cat rescue group. To date we have received only two phone call expressing objections: one from the ringleader of that group and one from another TNR person that they know in Osaka. Two e-mails from individuals outside the prefecture and one instagram message. So a total of 5 people.  
We contacted a number of large organizations in Japan to make sure we weren't stepping on any toes, and all said that there wasn't any problem with ear-tipping.  
Despite the lack of backing, said group have started an on-line petition demanding we change back to ear-notching and the relentless on-line harassment is unbelievable. 

I really don t know what they wish to achieve because we will not be bullied into obeying. Ear-tipping or ear-notching are both acceptable methods of identifying a spayed or neutered community cat. And the most important point is the spaying and neutering.  

We are all supposed to be working towards the same goal but too much time is spent on tearing others down.  I want to say that if we all worked together, that's when we can make the biggest difference for animals but almost two decades of animal rescue has taught me that working together can't be an option with some people and the only ones that suffer are the animals.
​

徳島市西部で、約50匹の猫を含む大規模な保護活動に取り組む予定です。アパートの猫の数が多いため、飼い主は立ち退きを迫られており、関係者全員が絶望的な状況に追い込まれています。
生活環境は最適とは言えないが、すぐに立ち退かなければならないほど悪い状況ではないので、私たちは避妊・去勢手術と猫たちの里親探しを近日中に始める予定です。
別の多頭飼育から22匹の猫を保護したばかりで、今年は里親探しがとても遅れています。 現在、80匹の猫や子猫が里親を探しており、皆様のご協力をお願いしています。

​We are dealing with another large scale rescue in Tokushima city west involving approximately 50 cats. The owners are facing eviction due to the large number of cats in the apartment which will leave all involved in a desperate situation.
The living-environment isn't optimal but not bad enough to require immediate removal so we will begin spaying and neutering and looking for homes for the cats in the next couple weeks.  
We have just rescued 22 cats from another multi-cat household and our adoption are very slow this year.  We currently have 80 cats and kittens looking for homes and need to ask for your help in sharing and spreading the word.  

⚠️Graphic photos⚠️

Cats come to our clinic for TNR with various injuries.  Most of them can be treated while on the table but others have injuries far too severe and require on-going treatment.  It would be unethical for us to send cats back out to recover when their lives would be at risk so we often end up rescuing the ones that don't have anyone that can take them in and care for them while they are healing. 
TNRのために当院を訪れる猫たちは、さまざまな怪我をしています。 そのほとんどは手術台の上で治療することができますが、中には怪我があまりにもひどく、継続的な治療が必要な猫も訪問することがあります。 このような場合、世話をしてくれる人がいないため、治療を目的として猫を保護することがあります。

It's sometimes challenging when cats are truly feral as human contact can be extremely stressful for them and we take their welfare seriously and make adjustments to suit their needs.  Once recovered, we decide if they should be released to their area again.
本当に野良猫の場合、人間との接触は彼らにとって非常にストレスになるため、時には困難なこともあります。私たちは彼らの福祉を真剣に考え、彼らのニーズに合うように調整します。 回復した後は、その地域に再び放すべきかどうかを判断します。

At the end of May, Neko came in for routine trap-neuter-return.  A male cat that had obviously had a hard life. Missing a paw, an old injury of some sort that had healed up naturally.  His current injury was far too serious to take a chance on release.
​5月末、いつものように沢山の野良猫がTNRのため来院しました。そして、その中には明らかに辛い生活を送ってきた猫がいました。前足がなく、傷口は自然治癒のみで回復したような傷跡でした。また、 今回の怪我は、リリースできるかどうか判断んが難しい深刻な怪我でした。

Many male cats come in with fight wounds and we see many abscesses. Another reason to spay and neuter cats.  It will decrease roaming behaviors related to mating that results invading other cats territories and fighting.  It's why many male tomcats contract FIV but luckily Neko lucked out and tested negative for the virus.
喧嘩の傷が原因で膿瘍を患っている猫を多く見かけます。去勢・避妊手術をするもうひとつの理由として喧嘩をさせない目的もあります。なぜなら、 他の猫のテリトリーに侵入したり、ケンカをしたりする交尾に関連した放浪行動が減るからです。 多くの雄猫がFIVに感染するのはそのためですが、今回の猫に関しては運良くウイルス検査は陰性でした。​

Neko's abscess had burst resulting in a large open wound around his neck.  The infected flesh had to be removed.  
ネコの膿瘍は破裂し、首の周りに大きな傷が開いた。 感染した肉を取り除かなければならなかった。​
​

Weeks of disinfecting the area and medications was a challenge with such a feral cat but we succeed.  During this time, Neko gained a good amount of weight and his general condition improved so much, we decided that he would not be released back to that hard life.  He fit in well with the other cats in the room he is housed and has become a HEART rescue. 
何週間にも及ぶ消毒と投薬は、このような野良猫を相手にするのは大変なことだったが、私たちは成功した。 この間、ネコの体重は順調に増え、全身状態もとても良くなったので、私たちはネコをあの厳しい生活に戻すことはしないと決めた。 彼は収容された部屋の他の猫たちともうまく馴染み、HEARTのレスキューとなった。​

We don't know if he will ever get used to humans, so we give him space and work at his pace.  We know that his quality of life has greatly improved while with us compared to the life he had outside.  It's a commitment, but worth taking once we see a cat recover and thrive under our care.
私たちは、彼が人間に慣れるかどうかわからないので、彼にスペースを与え、彼のペースで見守りながら保護しています。 私たちと一緒にいる間、彼の生活の質は、外で過ごしていたときと比べて格段に向上していることを確信しています。 覚悟は必要ですが、私たちのケアで猫が回復し、成長するのを見れば、覚悟を決める価値はあります。​

⚠️Contains disturbing content⚠️

With 17 years in animal rescue and welfare in Tokushima under our belt, we have seen our number of neglect and abuse cases.  There isn't much we can do, only document and report to the animal welfare center and the police.  
徳島で17年間、動物保護と福祉活動に携わってきた私たちは、ネグレクトや虐待のケースを数多く見てきました。 私たちにできることは多くはなく、ただ記録し、動物愛護管理センターや警察に報告することだけです。 

We stick to the facts and don't dramatize or sensationalize to gain on-line  followers or support and we rarely, if ever, post about cases until they have been resolved.  
事実に忠実でありたいため、オンラインのフォロワーや支持を得るためにドラマチックにしたりセンセーショナルにしたりはしません。 

Today I need to speak out.  
今日、私は発言する必要がある考えました。 

In the past two months, we have been involved with and/or consulted about three cases that are obvious violations of the Japan animal welfare act.  Animal control has no power to investigate or enforce the law.  The police were notified in all three cases and we have received no updates or information about an investigation since, nor have we been contacted for follow up information.
この2ヶ月の間に、HEARTは日本の動物愛護管理法に明らかに違反している3つのケースの相談を受けました。 徳島県動物愛護管理センターには、この法律違反を調査したり従事するように指導することしかできません。違反者に対して法律を執行する権限はありません。 3件とも警察に通報されましたが、それ以来、捜査に関する情報は入ってきませんし、追跡調査のための連絡もありません。

The most recent case is the most disturbing.  An individual in Northern Tokushima prefecture doing Trap-Neuter-Return and care-giver to those cats contacted us when two of the cats were found dead and their bodies abandoned at a neighborhood garbage collection area.  Both cats had been most likely poisoned, evidetnt by the bloody foam coming from their mouths and noses.
最近の事案で最も気になるものがあります。 徳島県北部で、TNR活動と猫の管理をしているボランティアさんから、2匹の猫の死体が近所のゴミ集積所に捨てられているのが見つかったと私たちに連絡がありました。 2匹とも毒殺された可能性が高く、口や鼻から吐物が出ていたということでした。
 

The police were called to the scene. If killing cats is too difficult for law enforcement to investigate or prove, abandoning animal corpses at a neighborhood garbage collection area must certainly also be a concern.
警察にも通報し、現場に立ち会ってもらったようですが、猫の吐物だけを持って帰り、死体の処分を通報者に依頼したとのことでした。猫を殺すことが警察にとって違法行為として捜査や立証が難しいのであれば、近所のゴミ集積場にゴミとして動物の死体を遺棄した違法行為さえも捜査が難しいのかもしれません。

I'm still gob struck that this case doesn't seem to be taken seriously.  If it had been a wallet or a bicycle at that garbage site, would it have been given more consideration by law enforcement?
それにしても、この事件が深刻に受け止められていないことが残念でなりません。 もし、そのゴミ集積場に財布や自転車が落ちていたら、警察はもっと真剣に考慮したでしょう。

Media wasn't interested in the story, either.  3 or 4 cases could possibly make a story.  I say that two cats lives being heinously ended is media worthy and pray that no more have the same end.
メディアも興味を示しませんでした。 同じようなケースが3、4件続くなら記事になるかもしれないと。 しかし、私は、2匹の猫の命が凶悪に絶たれたことは十分に報道に値すると思います。そして、これ以上同じ事案が起こらないことを祈ります。

In all the cases of abuse, neglect, and abandonment over the past 17 years, someone always throws in the statement "well, some people don't like cats and strays cause problems for them".  It's not about liking or disliking cats, it's about enforcing the law.  And cats are protected under the animal welfare act.
この17年間、ネグレクト、虐待、飼育放棄のすべてのケースで、誰かが必ず「猫が嫌いな人もいるし、野良猫は人に迷惑をかけるから」という言葉を聞いてきました。しかし、この問題は 猫が好きか嫌いかではなく、法律を遵守するかどうかということだと思います。

Some people don't like wearing seat-belts but the police enforce that law.  
例えば、交通法で人命を守るシートベルトをするのを嫌がる人もいますが、警察はこの法律を遵守し、違反者に対しては切符を切っています。

It's 2023 and although Tokushima has improved leaps and bounds in animal welfare, we still have a long way to go if we can't rely on law enforcement or the media.  
活動開始時に比べて徳島県は動物福祉の面で飛躍的に向上してきていると感じますが、法律の執行機関やメディアに頼ることができないのであれば、まだまだ先が長いと感じさせられます。
​ 
I hope I never have to write a post like this again. Something has to change in our prefecture.
このような記事を書く必要がなくなるを願います。 徳島県をもっと変えていかなければ。
​

月初旬、当院の避妊手術を利用されている方から、高齢の男性が緊急入院したため、友人のペットが取り残されていると相談の連絡がありました。 
退院しても飼育できないため、小型犬3匹と猫十数匹を保護する必要がありました。最初の訪問時には、9匹の子猫と10匹の成猫を数えることができましたが、臆病で隠れている猫が多かったため、正確な数を把握するのは困難でした。
その後、私たちは9匹の子猫（保護猫ルームボロンさんに協力していただき引き取られた）と17匹の成猫を保護しました。避妊去勢手術とワクチン接種を済ませ、FIV/FeLVの検査もすべて陰性でした。 健康状態は良好ですが、社会化されていないため、人慣れして里親を募集するまでには時間がかかると思われます。
犬3匹はみんな友好的で、少し年をとっていますが、みんな里親が見つかりました。成猫は、最終的に22頭いました。
残りの5匹はなかなか捕まえられませんでしたが、今日ようやく捕まえることができました。 この短期間に22匹の成猫を保護することは、私たちにとっもチャレンジでした。保護猫たちが里親を見つけるペースは緩く、保護スペースも限られています。 私たちの里親募集について広く知っていただくために、皆様のご協力をお願いいたします。また、物資や費用のご協力いただけると幸いです。

At the beginning of June, we got a call from an individual who uses our spay clinic, concerned about a friend's animals that were left unattended after the senior man had a stroke and was hospitalized.  
Three small breed dogs and multiple cats needed rescue. On our initial visit on we could count 9 kittens and 10 adults but it was difficult to get accurate numbers as many of the cats were timid and hiding.
We have since rescued the 9 kittens (who gratefully were taken in by a local cat rescue) and 17 adult cats that have been spay and vaccinated and have all tested negative for FIV/FeLV.  They are generally in good health but are unsocialized and will take some time to get used to people.
The three dogs are all friendly and have all found homes despite being a little older.

The 4 remaining cats proved difficult to catch, but we were able to catch them finally today.  Having to take in 22 adult cats in such a short time span has been a challenge for us. Our cat adoptions are at a low and space is limited.  We would appreciate your help in spreading the word about our adoptable animals and we would be grateful for in-kind and monetary donations.   

We were grateful to receive these posters from the 5th grade students at Shujitsu Elementary School in Okayama.

For their English class focusing on dogs and pets, they decided to create adopt a dog posters and were inspired by our mission and what HEART has set out to achieve. 

It is encouraging that young students have and interest and concern about animal issues and are hopeful that their generation will bring about the changes needed to advance Japan in animal welfare.

Please see their wonderful posters below and thank you students of Shujitsu Elementary School!

This kitten season seems to be going on forever. We get calls everyday to rescue, but it's impossible for us to take in every one that needs help. It's a case by case basis, with priority given to the ones at most risk.

This little one was lying motionless in the middle of the road in an area that we are active with TNR.  He came in with severe eye discharge, dehydrated and with a low body temperature and was very, very hungry.  It was a spay day at our clinic, and three veterinarians on staff so we could immediately give the treatment he so desperately needed.

Not all rescues are successful, but this little one bounced back quickly and turns out to be the cutest little kitten that is thriving!  

​愛護管理センターのホームページに掲載された犬の写真がSNSで拡散され、「犬を保護してほしい」というメールや電話、メッセージが後を絶ちません。善意であることはわかりますが、それが役に立つことはほとんどありません。 
私たちは、定期的にセンターから犬を引き出しています。どの犬たちがどういった状況でいるのか承知しております。もちろん全てを助けることができればいいのですが、助けられないこともあり、心が痛むのです。 先週は7匹の犬を引き取りましたが、他の犬たちも助けることができるのかどうか、わからないまま無力を感じながら帰りました。

シェルターが満杯になると、レスキューを必要とする沢山の動物たちを受け入れるスペースも資源もありません。

HEARTには、不妊手術を済ませワクチン、マイクロチップ、健康診断を終え直ぐに里子にでる準備ができている子もいれば、現在病気で治療を受けている子もいます。人懐っこくて、愛情深いのに長い間ご縁が見つからない子、 スタッフやボランティアの努力で、人見知りや臆病な性格を克服した子、まだ触られたり、リードを付けて歩くことができず、根気よく社会性を身に付けている子たちなどいろんな状況の子たちが合わせて１２０頭ほどいます。


私たちが助けられることは有限です。管理センターに入る動物の数は限りがありません。HEARTで里親を待っている動物たちのほとんどが徳島県動物愛護管理センターから保護された動物たちです。 保護前の写真はSNSで拡散され、保護された後は忘れ去られてしまうようです。

動物たちを助けるために、ぜひご協力をお願いします。 
どんなことに役立つの？ 保護された動物たちを共有すること、ボランティアや寄付をすること。 
HEARTにいる間、シェルターのスペース、リソース、ケアするためのマンパワーは、管理センターからずっとの家を探し始めるために、より多くの命を救うことを意味します。

(⚠️GRAPHIC PHOTOS⚠️)

4月上旬、前方を走っていた車に轢かれた猫を保護し、取り乱した方からご連絡をいただきました。 そのドライバーはそのまま走り去りましたが、彼女ともう一人の親切な通行人が猫を拾って動物病院に連れて行きました。
回復しても行き場がないため、私たちに助けを求めてきたのです。 私たちが日頃からお世話になっている動物病院へ搬送しました。
​In early April, a distraught caller contacted us after rescuing a cat that had been hit by the driving in front of her.  That driver sped off, but she and another kind passerby picked up the cat and brought it to a veterinary clinic. 
With no where for the cat to go if it recovered, we were asked for help.  We transferred the cat to a local vet clinic where we regularly have our animals treated.
​
マトリックスの目はソケットから飛び出しており、顎を骨折し、頭部外傷の疑いがありました。 しかし、素晴らしいスタッフと獣医師が、眼球を摘出する手術に耐えられるだけの状態にまで回復させてくださいました。 自力で食べることができず、顎の骨折が治るまで特別なケアが必要でした。​
Matrix’s eye was protruding from the socket, he suffered a broken jaw and had a suspected head injury.  It was touch and go but the fabulous staff and veterinarians got him healthy enough to withstand surgery to remove his eye.  He was unable to eat on his own and needed special care until his jaw fracture healed.

約2ヶ月の入院の後、マトリックスは日曜日に退院し、元気にしています。 少しシャイですが、人懐っこく、愛情深い子です。 ドライは食べられませんが、ソフトフードが大好きで、食欲旺盛です。
私たちは、マトリックスの健康回復を手助けできたことをうれしく思い、彼の旅に関わったすべての人に感謝しています。 
After almost two months hospitalized, Matrix was discharged on Sunday and is doing well.  He is a little shy but is friendly and affectionate.  He is unable to eat dry kibble but loves his soft food.
We are happy to have helped Matrix find his way back to health and are grateful to everyone involved in his journey❤️  

Thank you for all your support and encouragement in 2022!
Our rescue/re-homing numbers for 2022 are down about 100 from the year past but still pretty good. 304 animals rescued (164 dogs, 138 cats and 1 rabbit) with 243 animals out (101 dogs, 100 cat and 1 rabbit adopted and 41 dogs transferred to other rescue organizations). 
We are off to a good start to 2023 with 5 dogs/puppies already out to homes!  Billy Bob left on the 4th with his new owner, a family member of Fuji kun's owner so the two dogs were reunited. A road trip to Gunma prefecture to deliver Riley and Mika.  Stopping on the way back to bring Takuma to Aichi and send Lailah to Miyagi from Itami airport.  We are still full, full, full of puppies so it's been full on animal care for me while I hold the fort at home and at the clinic.

​Wishing you all a wonderful 2023 and we'll do our best again this year for the animals and to keep you updated.  

We are constantly receiving rescue requests and it gets overwhelming sometimes. We can't help all the animals in need. Space, manpower and resources are always limited and we can only do what we can with what we have. Our days and nights are also filled with running the rescue and time is also a scarcity so it's impossible to get back to every e-mail and message that comes our way and we apologize for that.
One such e-mail sat in our inbox in mid-August about a dog hanging around an abandoned mountain building. I glanced at the photos but left it as is as we are full to the brim with dogs waiting for homes. Over one hundred, actually.  I passed it off as another feral dog able to survive on it's own. A nagging feeling kept me returning to the photos. Where were the other dogs?  Isn't is strange that a feral would stick around a building alone?  
​Soon enough, she was captured by animal control so we went to meet her there.  She was obviously not feral.

So she came to HEART.  I named her Juno. She is the sweetest of sweetest dogs.  People friendly, dog friendly, just an all around wonderful dog. She likes her sleep though, and that's the only time I've seen her get a bit pissed off but I totally get that.

So the moral of the story is that there are too, too many people that just want to get their animal problem off their hands and guilty conscious. And put it unto the ones doing rescue work. I've learned how to say no in a lot of cases but it doesn't make my guilt for not saving that one or two or sometimes 20.  

I think what put me off from the start was the initial e-mail.  The gist being "I have two dogs and I can't possibly do more. There must be someone that can give this dog a home. Why can't HEART do something to get this dog into a home". 

I wanted to respond with "I am responsible for over 100 dogs at the moment and 70 cats. I can't possibly do more.  There must be homes for the friendly and vetted animals in our care. Why are people so selfish and can't do more for the animals in front of their eyes."

Since Juno came to HEART, we haven't heard from the e-mailer. I'm assuming there wasn't donation of any kind, either.  This is from experience, but I apologize if the e-mailer did contribute to Juno's fees for pulling her from the Kanri center, her spay surgery, microchip, vaccinations, heart-worm blood test, flea/tick treatment, de-worming, food for the past three months, electric bills to keep her cool during the hot months and now warm during the cool ones, rent to pay for the roof over her head, etc. etc. etc. 

Juno due to fly out to her new home on the 23rd.  She is one of the lucky mid-sized adult dogs that could find a home.  It's not so easy. Just ask the other 100 of our mid-sized adult dogs.  Some of them pure-bred. Some of them with so much love to give. We all wonder why they haven't found a home yet. My only answer is that it must be destiny. 

I considered not sharing this because there are so many critics out there waiting to jump on us for any slight but it's too good of a story not to share. My stories are always long and complicated, certainly, as that is my life in animal rescue. 

Remus and Pan Pan were brothers that were abandoned over 3 years ago at a park that we have been doing TNR and rescue at for the past 5 years.  They were about 4 months old at the time and two roommates from Sweden fostered them until they left Tokushima to return home. Remus and Pan Pan then moved to our volunteer house where they lived with our long-term volunteers. Remus was the outgoing one, Pan Pan the shy one.  Both too smart for their own good and with one outside escape and capture, they got a taste for the great outdoors and learned to open doors and windows.  Learned to check all the doors and windows to find one to open, and then because we were extra careful to make sure the windows were hatched closed, learned to pull the hatch to open the windows. At first, we always panicked when they got out but we'd leave the window open and they would return and all was well again.

When COVID began, our long-term volunteer pool dried up and Remus and Pan Pan spent a lot of time alone in the volunteer house besides daily visits to care for them. I would also go to stay with them overnight a couple of days a week but they were lonely. The outside was enticing and their escape artist activity intensified. And then we were blessed with a long-term volunteer from Germany during the pandemic that jumped through hoops to get here. All was well in Remus and Pan Pan's world again for 9 months and then they were alone with daily visits and a couple nights of human companionship again. You can guess what happened. The window was always left opened for their return. They did, but it was always just one of them and never both of them at the same time so the window had to be left open. And then there was only Remus returning and no sightings of Pan Pan for months and months.  We set traps, searched the neighborhood, checked with police and animal control. Half a year later and I accepted that he was dead.  
There was no way a shy cat with no experience living outdoors could survive.   

Remus was a constant during that time and was usually inside inviting all the other stray cats in through the open window. Or if he wasn't inside, I'd call out to him and he'd do his loud meowing and come running.  Then this past summer, Remus's fur started thinning and he'd lost some weight.  I thought it may have been an allergic reaction to the new flea/tick preventive but a vet visit and echo showed a mass in his stomach.  It was a tumor and he was sent home with meds.  He wasn't feeling well and spent his time resting and sleeping and had no interest in finding a way outside.  About ten days later, he made a prison break, stayed out overnight, returned home and then passed away.  My human brain told me that he must have had one last fruitless look for his brother, Pan Pan, and then gave up on life.

Fast forward to today. Almost a year since Pan Pan disappeared.  A client brings a rescue they want to keep as their own to a local vet clinic and the vet suggests to check for a microchip. He has one. It's Pan Pan. We are contacted. He's healthy and doing well.

I was in disbelief and once I got my bearings have to reconsider some things I thought to be true. One being that a cat raised strictly indoors can't survive on their own outside. For almost a year. Owners should never give up on a lost cat.

Other of my beliefs are reinforced.  Microchipping is so so important. Not for just the animals but for the people. I am so, so relieved that he is alive and well. Ear-tipping should only be reserved for feral or street cats. I wonder if Pan Pan would have been rescued or checked if he had one.

And the story I I told myself when Remus went out that last time. Now I wonder if he was saying good-bye to his brother for the last time.  Another made up human brain story.

We do not give animals they credit they deserve.  They are not little humans. And I so respect that. They far surpass our resilience to life's difficulties. They don't live in the past. They don't dream about the future.  They live in the now. We, humans, have a lot to learn. (and I'm soooo grateful for that microchip and call to let me know PanPan is ok after all this time❤️)

 Please know that you have been loved by the universe. You have been loved by the ones that found you and the ones that tried to heal you. From here, we wish you the most auspicious next life. May you be free from pain. May you be free from fear. May you now experience a sacred sendoff.  -Sarah Bowmen

I often don't want to write about the ones that we couldn't save. It could be because the next rescue comes in and there isn't time. Or it could be that I feel like we failed somehow. Or that it is just too hard for me to really sit with the feelings of sadness for a life cut short in suffering.

In mid-July, two kittens came in just days apart found by passer-bys in completely different areas of the city. Both with puncture wounds and difficulty moving. Both taken to local vet clinics. The black and white kitten the morning after she arrived at HEART. The black kitten just minutes after we took her in.  Same prognosis. Same outcome for both little lives.
Wounds most likely caused by a bite with abdominal injuries causing internal damage. Both kittens died. One while waiting to be examined. The other the morning after being admitted.  

We live in the countryside of Japan. In a place that needs to embrace that the community cat problem is everyone's problem. Things are changing for the better but we need a village to help.  They say that only 1 in 10 kittens born outside will live to the age of one. I say let's prevent as many births as possible to prevent the needless suffering.  There is help, there are affordable options, anyone can make an appointment and be taught to trap-neuter and return a cat/cats. There is no special license to capture and take a cat to be spay/neutered and it's not rocket science.  Anyone can do it and we need everyone on board to make the biggest impact.  

It's hard for people to turn a blind eye to animals that are suffering. That's why these two kittens that were in dire need found their way to HEART. I appreciate that. But I wish we could take it one step back and that we lived in a society that saw just a healthy regular cat around and noticed no ear-tip and thought "Hey, let's stop the suffering before it happens. To the spay clinic it is!"  It should be really that easy. Because without that I worry about people like me who are whole-heartedly invested in helping animals in need. Burn-out is real.  Compassion fatigue is real. 

I was hesitant to come back to finish this post I started writing three weeks ago.  To re-live the sadness of losing those two little kittens that died back in July. To not be able to express in words what I really want to say about it all.  

All I can do is to finally give these two a sacred send-off.  And that I can feel somewhat at peace knowing they are free from pain and fear. 

私たちのスペイクリニックには、さまざまな怪我や病気を抱えた飼い主のいない猫が来院します。その猫たちの中には緊急の治療や手術が必要な猫もいますが、私たちの設備では対応することができないケースもあります。そのため、私たちはその猫をレスキューして、地元の動物病院で必要な治療を受けなければならない状況に置かれることがよくあります。ジプシーもそのような猫の一匹です。
ボランティアが活動するTNR現場で、怪我をしているところを発見され、当院に運ばれてきました。 酷く脚を痛めていた彼女は、その痛みや不快感を抱えながら外猫として過酷な生活を送っていたことは想像に難くありません。
​We see cats with various injuries and illnesses come through the doors of our spay clinic, some of them needing urgent care or operations that we are not equipped to provide. We are often left in the position of having to take on the cat as a rescue to get the treatment it needs at a local veterinary clinic. Gypsy is one of those cats.
A regular at a volunteer's Trap-Neuter-Return site, she was found injured and brought to our clinic.  An older leg injury, it's hard to imagine the pain and discomfort she felt as she navigated life as stray.  

私たちはジプシーを地元の動物病院に連れて行き、断脚が必要という診断結果になりました。 手術は上手くいき治癒は順調で、1週間以内にHEARTに帰ってくることができました。
​We took Gypsy to a local veterinary clinic and she required leg amputation.  Her healing went well and she was able to come home to HEART within a week.

Gypsy is warming up to people and we hope she will be soon ready to find a home that will welcome this special three-legged girl.
HEART is a temporary home to 130 dogs and 70 cats and it's always been a challenge to make ends meet.  It costs a lot to run a shelter and a spay clinic, provide medical care and daily nessessities for our animals and cover costs for emergency treatment for animals like Gypsy.  We are grateful to our supporters for your generosity and ask for your continued support so we can continue helping animals in need.
​ジプシーは人馴れの途中ですが、この特別な3本足の女の子を迎えてくれる家庭が早く見つかることを願っています。
HEARTは130頭の犬と70頭の猫の一時的な住処であり、常に運営資金が課題となっています。 シェルターと避妊手術のためのクリニックを運営し、動物たちに医療と日常生活を提供し、ジプシーのような動物たちの緊急治療費をまかなうには、多くの費用がかかります。 私たちは、サポーターの皆さんの寛大な心に感謝するとともに、これからも助けを必要とする動物たちをレスキューし続けることができるよう、今後もご支援をどうぞ宜しくお願いいたします。

​Wednesday was a Spay day at our clinic with 23 cats fixed and no longer adding to the homeless pet population. A big thank you to Nomura Sensei and the clinic staff for their hard work!
Three rescues in as well. Bun is a 10-year-old male cat and is the biggest cat we have ever met, weighing in at 7.8 kilograms! His elderly owner was hospitalized and had no one that was able to care for Bun so we agreed to take him in. After 10 years in a home, it will be hard for him to adjust to a multi-cat living situation at HEART so we really hope that a loving family will open their home to him soon.  

Being so busy with raising two boys, running a shelter plus Spay clinic and hands on animal care, I've hardly time to keep you updated.  And then there is so much that happens everyday, I don't know where to start when I sit down to write a  post but here goes another try. 
二人の男の子の子育て、シェルターの運営、スペイクリニック、動物の世話などで忙しく、なかなか更新する時間がありません。 また、毎日いろいろなことが起こるので、記事を書こうと思ってもどこから手をつけていいかわからないのですが、ここでもう一度トライしてみます。
With all the Shibas we took in from the pet shop, small breeds from a puppy mill rescue we are helping with and kitten season here, we are full, full, full and really busy at the moment.  
​ペットショップからレスキューした柴犬、パピーミルのレスキューに協力している小型犬、そして子猫のシーズンで、今はいっぱいいっぱい、本当に忙しいんです。 
These three little kittens came in April 25th and they went to the vet right away.  Still needing feedings, it was a bit too much for me that day so I asked the clinic to keep them for the night and they came back the next day in a bit better shape.  They had no problems being hand-fed, although they preferred kitten milk from a syringe and didn't take to a nipple. They are growing and healthy and their eyes couldn't be saved but are much better. Between the three of them it seems we only have one eyeball with sight. Animals are amazing and resilient and these three are regular playful and affectionate kittens that sometimes run into things:) 
​この3匹の子猫は4月25日にやってきて、そのまま動物病院へ。 まだミルクが必要で、その日はちょっと大変だったので、動物病院で一晩預かってもらい、翌日、少し元気になって戻ってきました。 注射器から出る子猫用のミルクを好み、哺乳瓶にはなつきませんでしたが、シリンジでの授乳は問題ありませんでした。彼らは成長し、健康で、目は救えませんでしたが、ずっと良くなっています。3匹のうちで、視力のある眼球は1つしかないようです。動物は素晴らしく、回復力があり、この3匹は遊び好きで愛情深い普通の子猫で、時々何かにぶつかることもあります:) 

10 animals out to homes already in May. We also had three animals bounce back and we picked them up from Kansai on Wednesday. Cat Eclair was in a home for a year. Dog Manju for a month. Kitten Ichika only a few days.  Various reasons and though tremendously disappointing and stressful for the animals with all that moving around, I'm glad they are back with us and hope we make a better match for them the next time.
5月に入ってから、すでに10匹の里親さんが決まりました。また、3匹の動物が跳ね返ってきて、水曜日に関西から引き取りました。猫のエクレアは1年間、家庭で飼われていました。犬のまんじゅうは1ヶ月。子猫のイチカは数日だけ。 いろいろな事情で、移動が多く、動物たちにはストレスがかかり、とても残念ですが、また戻ってきてくれてうれしいですし、次回はもっと良いご縁がありますように

To add a piece of very happy news, Yumiko the Akita was adopted and came back to visit us this week.  She is such a beautiful and good girl, we are so glad she found the perfect home💕
​最後にとても嬉しいニュースを付け加えると、秋田犬のユミコが先週に里子にでて、早速今週、新しい家族と私たちを訪ねてきてくれました。 とても綺麗で良い子なので、最高のお家が見つかって本当に良かったです💕。