LUCKY WEDNESDAY

Yesterday we went to Ōzato prison camp/gas chamber with a Mission: to adopt a dog for our friend Yoco-san. Wednesday is the ONLY day of the week when humans can visit the place and bring home a dog or a cat (both and/or more than one, if they have very good souls). The other days… No comment.

I was surprised by the welcoming gentleness of the staff who works there. Mostly volunteers (women, I didn’t see any man) of the JPCA (Japan Pet Care Association). After 1 p.m. people like us started arriving, willing to bring home a cute puppy. At the end of the afternoon only three lucky dogs found a new family, the others need to wait for the next Wednesday…

Ōzato’s system is very peculiar. There end all the stray dogs and cats of Okinawa, for their last destiny. If you are in a good shape and health, if you’re young and cute you’ll have a chance. You’ll be kept alive and every Wednesday could be your lucky day.

However, if you’re old and sick, or not so good-looking, then… you have FOUR working days if you are a cat, FIVE if you’re a dog. If during these few days nobody appears at the horizon and brings you away from there… the CO2 waits for you (20 minutes of sufference before dying). Everybody knows it, this World is a place only for good-looking souls…

Some time ago I made a petition to make pressure on the authorities that could do something about this, towards a ‘zero-killings’ future (spay the stray animals for free through a public system, you can bet that soon the animal population under the cars wheels will decrease). Until then… we can only rely on the wonderful volunteers, on the cuteness of few lucky animals and on Wednesdays…

Yesterday it has been the lucky day for Anji, the less good-looking dog (boy) of the group available for adoption. Our friend Yoco wanted a four-legs company and decided to look for him/her not in a stupid shop where pets dealers get rich, but at the public kennel. BRAVA Yoco! She chose a funny and shy dog, the one who has been in the ‘lucky ones circle’ (the élite destined to be adopted and not gassed) for six months, the longest-term ‘guest’ of Ōzato. He’s only one year old, but maybe because of his chanpuru breed, or maybe because he has been abused when puppy (he’s too quiet), looks older.

I proposed Yoco to call her new friend ‘Girolamo’ (I know an Italian actor that plays like a dog), but she opted for Anji, a kind-of Japanese version of ‘Angelo’. When Yoco chose him, instead of any other – more fuffy, chubby, sweet -, all the volunteers were terribly happy. I don’t know if Anji is happy – he didn’t give many signs of happiness, maybe he needs time to get used to the new life -, but certainly I am very happy to see that in Okinawa there are people as Yoco and as the JPCA volunteers.

Another peculiarity of Ōzato’s system is the incredible amount of rules. After you decide to save an animal, you’re only half way… First you need to fill up a bunch of forms, then try not to sleep during an hour class on how to take care of the animal and what further steps to make. One of them: later on go to your city hall and fill up more paper stuff. Maybe to avoid smart guys that pick up animals and just set them free after leaving the prison camp (exactly what I would do). Or simply beacause Japan is The Country of rules… At the end of the ‘class’ Yoco was more exhausted than after one of my Italian classes (she’s a student of mine). If I had to take a class of that kind I’d probably leave the place after one minute, chocked by boredom, not bringing home any animal… Luckily for Anji, Yoco is not me.

During our visit the volunteers asked us if we wanted to see also the cats (they keep them in a separated place), but I refused. If I had watched them I’d very probably had brought home at least five of them, and…

To end this story: dear friends in Okinawa, do you want a dog or a cat? PLEASE, do not go to any stupid pet shop. Save a life going to the prison camp of Ōzato (on the hills around Nanjo City), on Wednesday. After doing that, you’ll feel more… rich.

AMEN.

LET'S CLOSE ŌZATO!

I just made a petition asking Okinawa’s government to transform the gas chamber in Ōzato, near Nanjo City, where everyday cats and dogs are killed with Co2, into a vet clinic where to cure and sterilize stray animals for free.

http://www.change.org/p/to-the-governor-of-okinawa-prefecture-and-the-mayor-of-naha-we-ask-the-stop-of-killings-in-%C5%8Dzato-at-okinawa-prefectural-animal-protection-and-control-center-where-cats-and-dogs-are-killed-with-gas-inhaling-every-animal-suffers-for-20-minutes-before-d?utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_false&share_id=uGkqbWjYpN#

Just a Dream? I hope not.

From http://doggiesinc.org/Ozato.html

History and Background of Ozato

• Ozato's nickname comes from the village where it is located, Ozato Village. 
• The actual name of Ozato is the Okinawa Prefectural Animal Protection and Control Center.
• Ozato is a Japanese Government run animal facility (kill-shelter).
• In 1969 Ozato was formed out of a make shift office to help control the stray population.
• By 1977 Ozato become a government supported entity with its own facility.
• In 1995 Ozato started holding adoption events for locals every Wednesday, which still exists today.
• In 2005 Ozato established Animal Protections Laws to protect the animals of the island.
• Ozato is in charge of all of the stray animals on island including outer lying islands near Okinawa, Japan.

Processing Procedures of Stray Animals

• All stray animals picked up on the island of Okinawa, Japan go to Ozato.
• From there Dogs/Puppies are given 5 working days to be claimed, on the 6th working day they are gassed.
• From there Cats/Kittens are given 4 working days to be claimed, on the 5th working day they are gassed. 
• Visitors are not allowed to view the selection of strays. If you are interested in an animal an adoption coordinator must be with you.
• All animals meeting their final day, are gassed promptly the following morning.
• The gassing process is very slow lasting around 20 minutes, and a very painful suffering death ensues.
• The final process is all animals are incinerated on site at their crematorium. 

Statistical History of Animals Gassed

• In 1992 13,606 Dogs/Puppies were gassed, with a break down of 40-60 animals daily.
• In 1998 13,202 Dogs/Puppies were gassed, with a break down of 40-60 animals daily.
• In 2004   7,119 Dogs/Puppies were gassed, with a break down of 22-32 animals daily.
• In 2008   4,848 Dogs/Puppies were gassed, with a break down of 15-25 animals daily.
• The Cat/Kitten information has not been stored, but their estimates are almost double the amount of Dogs/Puppies.

Current Statistical History as of 2009 of Animals Gassed

Dogs/Puppies:

• In 2009, 2,718 Dogs were captured.
• In 2009, 569 Puppies were captured.
• In 2009, 476 Dogs were turned in.
• In 2009, 81 Puppies were turned in.
• In 2009, 395 Dogs/Puppies were reunited with their owners.
• In 2009, 315 Dogs/Puppies were adopted.
• In 2009, 734 Dogs/Puppies were from outer lying islands.
• In 2009, 3,868 Dogs/Puppies were gassed, with a break down of 12-20 animals daily.

Cats/Kittens:

• In 2009, 2,174 Cats were captured.
• In 2009, 1,565 Kittens were captured. 
• In 2009, 231 Cats were turned in.
• In 2009, 164 Kittens were turned in.
• In 2009, 7 Cats/Kittens were reunited with their owners.
• In 2009, 84 Cats/Kittens were adopted.
• In 2009, 233 Cats/Kittens were from outer lying islands.
• In 2009, 4,276 Cats/Kittens were gassed, with a break down of 14-20 animals daily.

*****The current statistics and information have been taken from the 2009-2010 Okinawa Prefectural Animal Protection and Control Center annual report which are given out in limited supply.

Of the dogs in this picture remain just...
the picture.

CAT ROOM WHERE ALL THE CATS ARE KEPT FOR 4 DAYS BEFORE THEY ARE GASSED

HERE'S THE TEXT OF THE PETITION

http://www.change.org/p/to-the-governor-of-okinawa-prefecture-and-the-mayor-of-naha-we-ask-the-stop-of-killings-in-%C5%8Dzato-at-okinawa-prefectural-animal-protection-and-control-center-where-cats-and-dogs-are-killed-with-gas-inhaling-every-animal-suffers-for-20-minutes-before-d?utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_false&share_id=uGkqbWjYpN#

To:
The governor of Okinawa Prefecture
The mayor of Naha City
Environment and health Division of Naha City

We ask the immediate stop of animals (dogs and cats) killings in Ōzato at  “Okinawa Prefectural Animal Protection and Control Center”. 

In that governmental infrastructure everyday stray cats and dogs from all Okinawa Prefecture are killed with a painful gas (CO2) inhaling: every animal suffers for TWENTY MINUTES before dying.

We believe that a civilized and modern Country as Japan should treat better its stray animals. 

For this reason we ask Okinawa’s Governor to transform Ōzato’s “Okinawa Prefectural Animal Protection and Control Center” into a FREE, public veterinarian clinic managed by volunteers that love animals. 

Their job will be of curing sick animals and sterelize them, in order to have less animals in Okinawa’s streets. We believe that is better to have less but cured animals in the streets, than just simply killing them.

SIGNATURE


---------- Japanese ----------

To:
沖縄県知事
那覇市長
那覇市環境衛生課

私達は、沖縄県南城市大里にある『沖縄県動物愛護管理センター』における動物（犬と猫）殺処分の即時停止を求めます。

この公的施設では、沖縄県全域から収容された野良などの飼い主不明な犬や猫が、苦痛を与えるガス（CO2）を吸入し殺されています。それらの動物達全てが、死ぬまで”20分間”も苦しみます。

私達は、日本のような文明国家・近代国家は、自国の野良猫や野良犬をより良く扱うべきである、と信じています。

この理由により、私達は沖縄県知事および那覇市長が『沖縄県動物愛護管理センター』を、動物を愛するボランティアの管理による、”無料”の公的獣医診療所へ転換することを求めます。

その業務は、沖縄の路上にいる動物達を減らすために、病気の動物を治療したり、不妊手術を行います。

私達は、路上にいる動物たちを治療して数を減らした方が、単純に殺してしまうより良いことだと信じています。

氏名