Japan's Cat Island survives earthquake but need help

This is a repost of article on Discovery.com- Analysis by Jennifer Vega
Tashirojima, otherwise known as Japan's "Cat Island" due to its numerous feline inhabitants, is intact after the recent devastating 9-magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami, according to Japan earthquake animal rescue support. Hoowever, like so many others devastated by the disaster, both the human and feline residents of the island need help.
The small island in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, is home to at least 100, mostly elderly, people and many more cats, which are valued for their beauty, companionship, and ability to keep the rodent population down in this fishing area. A shrine dedicated to cats exists in the middle of the island -- a favorite of tourists and feline lovers worldwide.

There was concern that the island and its residents did not survive the earthquake, aftershocks, and tsunami, but Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support posted this at Facebook yesterday:
Just to give everyone an update on Tashirojima, the cat island. The people and cats are safe but short of food. A volunteer looked into transporting food by boat, but there is too much debris in the water. A helicopter is the only way. The army will probably get a helicopter ready soon so we are looking into the possibility of asking them to take cat food too.

Teaming up with another organization, Animal Friends Niigata, workers with the Japanese rescue and support team are now in Sendai, near where the earthquake was centered.
SLIDE SHOW: Japan: Before and After the Disaster
Here you can see them preparing for the trip, loading a van with kennels, food, leashes and capturing equipment.
They reported encountering at least one woman, who refused to evacuate because officials would not let her bring her dog, Yosuke, with her. She stayed with Yosuke in her shaking house for three days, but thankfully both are OK. She was very relieved to encounter the rescuers.
I think many of us who love our pets can empathize with such individuals. This latest disaster is a reminder to be prepared for emergencies. If you have pets, please consider following the recommendations mentioned in this U.S. Department of Homeland Security brochure: Download Petsthree days, but thankfully both are OK. She was very relieved to encounter the rescuers.

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NY Dogs join forces in Haiti

Great Video on K9 rescue dogs from New York that are helping in the effort to find survivors in the wake of the Haiti earthquake.

Repost by Mickeyspetsupplies.com- http://www.mickeyspetsupplies.com

Dogs find children in rubble in Haiti

This is just an interesting story about the efforts in Haiti to find survivors of the earthquake.

Canine Disaster Search Team Finds Three Children Alive Under the Rubble

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- A firefighter and his Search Dog located three girls trapped alive since Tuesday in the rubble of Haiti's devastating earthquake. Bill Monahan and his Border Collie, Hunter, were searching a neighborhood near the Presidential Palace, concentrating on a large bowl-shaped area of rubble which was all that remained of a 4-story building.
After criss-crossing the area, Hunter pin-pointed the survivors' scent under 4 feet of broken concrete and did a sustained "bark alert" to let Bill know where the victims were. Bill spoke with the survivors, then passed them bottles of water tied to the end of a stick. As they reached for the water one of the girls said, "Thank you." Highly trained rescue crews from California Task Force 2 pulled the girls from the wreckage and provided first aid.
Bill and Hunter were trained by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation -- the only non-profit in the nation that recruits rescued dogs, partners them with firefighters, and trains them to find survivors buried in the aftermath of disasters. The teams and their ongoing training are provided at no cost to Fire Departments throughout the country.
In his report this morning from Haiti, SDF Handler Bill Monahan stated, "It would have been a reward to find one person alive. Finding multiple survivors is a huge victory for everyone on the Task Force. It's a giant team effort. From the canines, to the logistics team, to communications, everyone is working at full capacity, using everything we've been trained to do to find survivors. It's an honor to be here."
At Search Dog Foundation headquarters in Ojai, CA, SDF Founder Wilma Melville received the news with quiet gratitude. "This moment is what SDF Search Teams train for -- week in and week out -- throughout their careers together. When one SDF team succeeds, ALL of our teams succeed. Our thoughts are with our teams in Haiti, who continue to comb the rubble into the night. Their perseverance, skill, and strength in the face of extreme challenges make us all proud, and give us hope."
Added SDF Executive Director Debra Tosch: "All our handlers are experts in reading their canines, pacing them throughout their shift to ensure the dogs are kept safe, healthy, happy and motivated. The canines are literally the Task Force's most precious tool in the hunt for survivors: their well-being is mission-critical."
Bill and Hunter continue to search, as do all seven SDF Search Teams on the ground in Haiti with California Task Force 2 and Florida Task Force 1. Follow their progress at http://www.searchdogfoundation.org/, twitter.com/searchrescuedog, facebook.com/NationalDisasterSearchDogFoundation.
About the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF)
SDF is a non-profit organization whose mission is to strengthen America's emergency response network by producing the most highly-trained canine-firefighter disaster search teams in the nation. SDF recruits rescued dogs and partners them with firefighters, providing the canines and the training at no cost to their departments. The organization receives no government funding and relies solely on support from individuals, private foundations and companies to produce these highly-skilled teams.
Since its founding in 1996, SDF has rescued hundreds of dogs, many on the brink of euthanasia. They have trained 105 Search Teams, 72 of which are currently active. SDF Teams have been deployed to 66 disasters including the World Trade Center attacks and Hurricane Katrina and state and local emergencies such as earthquakes, mudslides, building collapses, train derailments and missing person searches. Eight of SDF's teams are members of CA-TF2 and are ready at all times for immediate deployment overseas when called upon by the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.
SOURCE National Disaster Search Dog Foundation
RELATED LINKShttp://www.searchdogfoundation.org/
Repost by: http://www.mickeyspetsupplies.com