Among the many human tragedies, a man from Sendai-shi, Wakabayashi-ku (Tokyo Shinbun) tearfully hugs his dog after she had been rescued by a firefighter. World Vets is coordinating with a coalition of animal welfare groups near the epicenter of this terrible disaster. Donations are urgently needed, please click on the logo below to send assistance.
Below is a video of an act of ultimate loyalty as a Japanese dog refuses to leave her injured friend behind. We are told that both dogs were taken to shelter/veterinary care.
The Japanese people have responded to this horrible tragedy with the utmost dignity. There were no riots, no forms of “lawlessness” or disorder of any kind reported…only heroics. There will of course, be many stories of heroism, in the weeks and months to come. NPR has word of one such story. Chie Matsumoto, a journalist in Japan who has been reporting on some of the hardest hit areas posted on twitter what the people in Rikuzen-Takada City told her.
“People received the warning through the city speakers that are set up outside. They heard, ‘A big tsunami is coming. You need to evacuate.’ Shortly after, they heard, ‘Run!’
“The announcement was cut off and the people never heard from the speakers, or the people who announced it, again. The few people assigned to announce it were at the disaster prevention center, and they went missing.
“They sacrificed their lives to send everyone else to a safer place. They gave priority to others’ safety. The disaster prevention center is now under the mud brought on by the tsunami.”
You can read the rest of this story at NPR.
This Japanese woman, who refused to evacuate, as she was not allowed to take her dog, Yusuke, with her, spent 3 days, alone in her home, protecting Yosuke, whilst earthquakes ravaged her surroundings. Here, crying and clutching her beloved friend, she tells her story to reporters.
Please help the people of Japan. You can always help through several sources. Donations for the Japan relief effort through the Red Cross is one way to help. Please click the logo below to support the effort.
We would like to extend a prayer for the survivors of this terrible disaster who have lost so much. We would also like to express our sincere sadness over the loss of both human and non-human life. May the burden of the Japanese people be eased by love and support from all over the world. Our hearts are yours.
The team at AELLA
