ジャパン・タイムズ：公園に住む猫たちに支援の手を

Kikko kindly translated the May 3 Japan Times article about Japan Cat Network into Japanese for us.

公園に住む猫たちに支援の手を

記者取材記事

ジャパンキャットネットワーク（デイビッド・ワイベンガさんとスーザン・ロバーツさん夫妻が運営する滋賀県の草の根動物愛護団体）は、現在、枚方プロジェクトに取り組んでいるが、協力と支援を切に求めている。

ジャパンタイムズ紙が１月２６日の記事で特集した同ネットワークは、３月、枚方市近辺のある公園（大阪と京都の中間に位置する）を調べるよう依頼された。 山田池公園の実情は悲惨で衝撃的だった。健康状態や病状の様々な１００匹近い猫が公園内をうろついていた。ジャパンキャットネットワークが提唱するＴＮＲ（捕獲→避妊処置→放す）が実践されているような形跡は見当たらず、去勢済みの雄猫も皆無のようだった。公園内には重病の猫が二匹おり、直ちに獣医に連れていく必要があった。

５月１日時点で、同団体は５３匹（殆どが雌猫）を捕獲し、避妊処置を施した。今後も捕獲を継続する予定だ。ワイベンガさんは、このプロジェクトを「すごいこと」と捉えている。「関西地区における一般の認識を変える」力をもつと信じるからで、「これまで色々なプロジェクトに関ったが、中でも今回は特にしっかり支えていきたい」。

プロジェクトが開始されてからも、生後２週間の五匹の子猫が公園内トイレでダンボール箱に捨てられているのが見つかった。２匹は既に息がなかったが、３匹は助けられ４時間毎の授乳ですくすく育っている。つい先日の月曜日には、別の子猫４匹が捨てられているのが発見された。うち１匹は既に死亡していた。残りの子猫と他の猫たちはともにすべて保護され、世話を受けている。

「寝る暇もないくらい」と、夫妻はてんてこまい。「えさやりを一巡し終えたと思ったら、また次のえさやりの時間が迫って来る」とワイベンガさん。

しかも、現在１１匹の子猫を授乳しているため、同ネットワークの台所は火の車だ。そのため、懸命に支援の手を探しているところだが、プロジェクト続行の決意は固い。

同団体では、子猫を預かって育ててくれる飼育経験者、愛情をもって飼ってくれる里親家庭、協力金、猫専用エスビラック粉乳やキャットフードの寄贈などの支援を求めている。また、「近隣にお住まいで直に手伝いたいと思われる方は、当方までご連絡を。」とワイベンガさん。

連絡先は、
Ｅメールでは、info[AT]apancatnet.com　
ホームページhttp://japancatnet.com

The Japan Times has done another article on Japan Cat Network:

The Japan Cat Network, a grassroots animal welfare group in Shiga Prefecture organized and run by David Wybenga and his wife, Susan Roberts, has put out a plea for help with its Hirakata City Project.

Initially featured in The Japan Times on Jan. 26, the network was asked in March to check out a park near the city of Hirakata, located between Osaka and Kyoto.

The situation at Yamada-Ike Koen was dire, utterly shocking. Close to 100 cats, in various stages of health and disease, were found roaming the park. There were no signs of a TNR (trap, neuter, release) program such as the Japan Cat Network promotes, and none of the males appeared to be neutered. Two of the park cats were so ill that they had to be taken to a vet immediately.

As of May 1, the group has trapped 53 cats, most of them female, and had them neutered. More trapping is scheduled.

Wybenga calls the project “amazing,” one that he believes has the power “to change public perception in Kansai. Of all the projects I’ve been involved in, this is the one to get behind.”

Read the full article in English or Japanese

Here is the third update on the Hirakata City Project. (Click here to see all articles related to this project.)

Yamada-Ike Koen is like many spots in Japan, a place known for cats, and so people decide that is the place to throw them away. Those cats multiply, many die, but numbers continue to build.

As of May 13, we have spayed and neutered 61 cats at Yamada-Ike Koen. Though it is still hard to ascertain the total number of cats in the park, our working estimate is over 100. Our plan is to continue, and neuter as near to all in the park as is possible. Sunday, May 18th is our next trapping day. There will be no Japan Cat Network meeting in Kyoto on that day.

Several boxes of kittens have been found abandoned in various parts of the park as well. It has become our policy to report the crime of animal abandonment, after each incident, to the local police. So far, 14 kittens have been taken to our shelter. Caring for them takes a tremendous amount of determined effort. The youngest kittens need feedings through the night. A hard job for even a cat mama. Donations of kitten food would be a welcome help. We really hope to find good homes for the kittens - If you would like to add a kitten to your family please contact us and pass along our request to your friends.

We continue to have great support from various people and small groups to do the actual work of trapping, transportation and in between care. ARK, JAWS Osaka and various individuals have contributed funds which should comprise 50% of the total needed for operations. Money is also needed for rescued kittens, and sick cats removed from the park. If you are able to donate, even if just $5, it will be a great help. You may let us know if you would prefer it to be applied toward the spay/neuter operations, or to go to the cat rescue fund. If you have no preference, we will choose the most needy area.

We do need every kind of possible help; drivers, cat trappers, foster families for kittens, new homes for cats and kittens, writers, photographers, translators, bloggers, builders, people with media contacts, donations of cat food, donations of cages, whether you have a way to come out and help, or if you have a way to support those who are coming out to help, please consider what you can do. Most obviously we need money. Thank you for participating in a project that will make a real difference.

Here is the first update on the Hirakata City Project. (Click here to see all articles related to this project.)

Last weekend we trapped and spayed/neutered 28 cats in the park, most of them females. We are trapping in the park this Saturday and Sunday as well as some days during Golden Week.

Last Sunday 5 kittens were found at the park, abandoned in a cardboard box in the bathroom. 2 had already died when found, but 3 survived and are now thriving. They were about 2 weeks old at the time and have had to be fed by bottle at 4 hour intervals.

Monday 4 more kittens were found abandoned, one had already died. The remaining three are doing well, also on the bottle, but older than the first at about 3-4 weeks.

Here is the first update on the Hirakata City Project. (Click here to see all articles related to this project.)

First, Tiger unfortunately passed away. Here are the last photos we took of him when we took him outside for a short walk and fresh air.

He died suddenly, of issues related to his skull injury and swelling in his brain. We feel glad that at the end of his life he had lots of good food, love, and a kind lap to call his own! More importantly, his was the alarm bell that will save many cats in the park, and elsewhere, from the same fate. We’ve started the Tiger TNR fund to raise money just for spay and neuter sugeries in projects like the one at Yamada Ike Koen. We’ll also have a rescue fund for cats that must be removed due to ill health, or kittens, and there will still be our shelter fund.

Luffy has recovered from his kaisen dani. He had shown signs of internal bleeding, which we think may have been caused by eating a poisoned rodent, but seems to have also recovered from that. He has shown signs of fear of interaction with people — he enjoys being touched, but is very fearful of noise, and we think he may spend most of his time in the shelter hiding. Because of this we believe he’d be happiest returning to the park. He is scheduled for neutering today and will be returning to the park on Sunday morning.