KUMAMOTO, Japan - Animal shelters in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto had received 272 reports of missing pets as of Aug. 25, after the region was rocked by a magnitude-7.1 earthquake in July, the prefectural and city governments said Friday.
Of those, 129 have since been found and returned to their owners, including animals captured as strays by authorities under rabies prevention and other legislation that were later found to be lost pets.
Search efforts continue for animals that remain missing, with support from both public and nongovernmental organizations.
A total of 64 reports were filed at local health centers and animal shelters in the city of Kumamoto, while another 208 were handled by the prefecture, which oversees the other municipalities.
Kumamoto Prefecture was hit by a strong earthquake on July 28, which killed 38 people and forced thousands to move to evacuation centers.
Kazunobu Matsubara, a resident of Yatsushiro, said his parents were caring for his parents' black toy poodle Kuromi when the temblor hit. The dog was so frightened that she could not stop shaking, had no control of her bowels and darted outside through a gap in the front door.
The family has filed reports with the police and local health center and handed out fliers, but the dog has not been found. "It feels like we're missing a family member," the 49-year-old said.
The central and prefectural governments have set up a website to post information on lost dogs and cats in a bid to facilitate reunions. But with officials swamped by a wide range of other post-quake tasks, it has been difficult to allocate manpower for pet searches.
Various nongovernmental organizations are helping to fill the gap and providing support.
Veterinary care team V-Cats Japan, for example, has been utilizing experience gained during the 2024 Noto earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture to search for animals and provide veterinary care for injured dogs and cats in a specialized vehicle.
Morimasa Abe, a joint director of the nonprofit, said he entered Kumamoto the day after the quake and has supported searches by setting up cameras and traps.
"We hope to save as many lives as possible by not just rescuing (the animals), but also by providing medical care," the 50-year-old said.
