While David took Gino and Guinness to a new foster home in Kyoto, I took Dayan, Dixie, and Benjamin with me to Tokyo. Dayan and Dixie went to a new foster home. Still unsure what Dayan’s earlier breathing problems might mean for him long-term, but he seems much better now with the cooler weather, and both of these two were really wanting more attention than they could get here. They have the perfect foster home with a couple ready to give some kitties lots of attention, while they are living here in Japan. Benjamin went to be adopted by Kuro’s family, who thought Kuro might be hoping for a little of the companionship she shared for so long while living in shelter. We are so pleased with how far Kuro has come with this family’s kind love and care–Benji is a lucky boy.

While in Tokyo, I met up with Isabella, of Animal Friends Niigata. They were recently able to take on a kitty that Lauren rescued in Tokyo. Tortie was a stray found living outside with a large cancerous tumor. Two vets determined that there was nothing that could be done to stop the progression of her disease, but felt that she was not uncomfortable. AF Niigata was able to give Tortie a warm place to sleep and regular meals until she passed away, and we are grateful that she at least had a home off the streets at the end of her life.

Also met up with Hayasaka sensei, our new NPO accountant. He’s been a tremendous help with our efforts to address organizational issues, and he was also kind enough to show me around the Yokohama area! He showed us a bit of the Kawasaki area for our final meeting with Isabella and Cheryl, and I found it lovely…really hoping that Kawasaki might be the location for some new collaborative shelter efforts that we have in mind. More pics from my Tokyo trip...

New rescue Loki showed up, most likely abandoned, in front of our local train station. Very hungry and in a panic, he’s been happy to stick to his warm bed in the cage, while enjoying regular meals. He’s already been neutered, which is somewhat unusual here. He seems too thin to have recently wandered away from home, but we’ll put up posters, just in case.

Cat food campaign in progress, since our stocks are completely depleted. People have been generous about offering to pitch in, and it will be a relief when we can stop having to buy day by day. Should finally start seeing a bit more money coming in from the new job I started on Saturdays, which will also help. I have my eye on a kennel that Costco has, and would like to try it inside one of the enclosures to introduce newbies gradually. We’ve had the idea of dividing one of the enclosures, but the kennel would be cheaper, and would still provide comfortable living space during adjustment. At nearly 2 meters tall, it actually seems more suited to cats and elevated walkways, than it is to dogs. Animal Friends Niigata got a a couple of the kennels for their place, so I’m waiting to hear how easy they are to assemble, and how they work out…at around $150 each, and extremely durable, they’re a more reasonable way to go than building structures by hand.

Speaking of the integration of new arrivals…I went out to check on a few cats someone saw living behind a local convenience store. One is quite friendly, and I’d guess her to be the mother of another, which was probably born after the mother was abandoned. The third seemed the most feral, and might just have to be neutered and returned. They seem clean and of average or above weight, so they must currently be fed on a fairly regular basis, but the location is not a good one, especially for friendly cats. At least one of the three seems able to be re-homed…we’re in the process of asking around to see if people know anything about the cats or who is caring for them, but plan to at least trap and neuter them in the near future.

Susan Mercer of Heart Tokushima rescues dogs from the regional animal control facility there on a regular basis. She told me about going out there this week to pick up a dog for re-homing and coming back with four additional 6 week old puppies that had been found abandoned in a park. She said they were being kept at the facility, in a steel cage without access to any heat, and their poor little paws were red with the cold. Thank goodness for dedicated people like Susan, who are willing to keep going out and bringing animals like this in out of the cold. All four puppies are now safely in foster care!

New adoptive homes in the process for 4 kitties, possibly more, which will also probably free up at least one foster placement. Already planning the next Tokyo trip. Feeling grateful to have found so many wonderful families for our new rescues this year, and looking forward to starting the new year on that positive note.  Pictures from November…