Wednesday, April 20, 2011

animals, my friends

Hey there - I've started volunteering with JEARS up in Tohoku, helping to rescue animals in this area. I wrote this update to send to a few friends and thought I'd post it here too.


Hey everyone -
I thought I'd dash off a quick email tonight. I arrived in Niigata today (upper West Coast of Japan, across from Fukushima). Niigata is where one of the shelters of JEARS is based, Animal Friends. I connected with the group in the city and took a group out to the shelter to tour it and meet some of the rescued animals, and also to drop off a cat that had been picked up in the exclusion zone of Fukushima the day before.

There are more than 200 animals being held in the shelter; they say there are 10,000 animals wandering Fukushima alone, including dogs, cats, other pets, and livestock that have been abandoned. It's a momentous task and not one this group can do alone.

Tomorrow we head to the tsunami zone and to the Fukushima area. I'm driving a group and doing some translation. Everyone I've met so far is really great and they had a bunch of vegetarian curry pouches donated by an Indian food company, so I'm even fed! Excellent.

I'll update more when I can - early start tomorrow and looks like a full day. Love you all.
xoxo
-selena-

3 comments:

  1. Here I am in Niigata and I had no idea about this organization. I just checked out their website and the work they are doing sounds amazing. Another great link so thank-you again.

    PS
    I know you are here on serious business but if you have time before you take go back why don't I treat you out for coffee or wine? Did you take the Shink? I am steps from Niigata Station so even if you contact me last minute we can work something out. email me if you have time (lilyyamashita@yahoo.ca).

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  2. You are officially my number one favorite person in Japan.

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  3. Thank you Lily and Jen for your awesome support! You guys are the best. Kisses to you both and hope to see you soon.

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