Stop The Killing of Dogs & Cats in Japan

At our shelter in Hiroshima, there are many dogs that have grown old and are in need of care, or that have been in poor health since arriving and require medical assistance. Some of them are still young, but nonetheless fall ill. Below is an introduction to some of those dogs and how we are caring for them.

The hardest part of taking care of older dogs who need nursing care is feeding them.
At our shelter, there are dogs that are bedridden, those that cannot chew their food, and others who cannot eat without assistance, and so on. For all of them, we try to find creative ways to feed them.

For example, we mix food in a blender, put the resulting puree in a large syringe and “inject” it into the dog's mouth, or feed it to the dog with a spoon. If we feed the food all at once, there’s a risk of it going down the “wrong way” and entering the windpipe instead of the gullet, so we perform these feeding methods slowly and gradually. It looks easy, but is surprisingly difficult.

Some dogs are on multiple medications each day. Some will take them as they are, but others have a hard time doing so, and will only take their meds after someone puts them in their mouth for them. Others, meanwhile, can only manage tablet-form meds if it they are ground up and mixed in with their food. The picky eaters among them will only take the medicine if it is mixed into tasty dog food, and so on. Just like humans, canine personalities and tastes differ from individual to individual, so even administering just a single medication requires these kinds of creative approaches.

One of the dogs we are taking care of is called Nagi, who is about 3 years old. Nagi has a condition called megaesophagus, a disorder in which the tube (the esophagus) that carries food and liquid between the mouth and stomach dilates, and loses the ability to move food from the former to the latter. Since Nagi cannot consume solids, we prepare pureed food and feed it to her while she is in an upright position to allow gravity to carry the food down her esophagus and into the stomach. It’s important to control the volume of food given, because if she gulps it down she will not be able to digest it and will simply regurgitate it.

After eating, Nagi must remain in an upright position to prevent this from happening, so we carry her piggyback style in a carrier for about an hour. Nagi often falls asleep while being carried this way, just a like a baby. Usually, however, Nagi is very energetic, and even though she is sick, she doesn't show it. She loves sleepovers at staffers’ homes and sometimes earns her keep as a “poster girl” in the shelter’s reception area.

Even though she and many of the dogs have disadvatages, they don’t seem to care about them. They just do their best to enjoy each day. Even if they are blind, they use their noses to find something to amuse themselves. Even if they have weak hind legs, they enjoy the outside from their wheelchairs. It's wonderful to see them making the best of what they have and living life in the moment.

There are many dogs who have found families despite their advanced age or illness. Among them is a dog with a bad heart, one who is blind, another who is paralyzed. When a foster family accepts a dog and welcomes him or her into their home, it’s a very moving moment for those shelter staff who have been caring for that dog up until then.

The shelter in Hiroshima has a huge area where the dogs can run around freely and play ball. Many of the young shelter dogs are not used to people and are even afraid of them, but if you take time to known them and care for them, they eventually open up, even to people they have never met before. And when they do, they show their gratitude through engaging expressions and gestures that they save just for those who take care of them.

The care and activities we provide for the shelter dogs would be impossible without your support, and for that we are truly grateful. Your donation makes it possible for us to continue to provide the environment and necessary equipment for dogs like Nagi to lead a happy life.

With your help, we will continue to provide care and love for as many dogs as possible.