Fiction and Reality

That I have done this picture makes me very sad.
Because I really feel horribly depressed about the content...

Some facts:
I read The Japan Times almost daily here in Japan.
On the Japan Times of the 26th May, there was a article in the "Readers"-section where reader comments get published.
And the 5th comment had the title "A pet is a lifelong commitment".


Well, most people here know about "animal shelters", "dog pounds" and simliar.
The places, where people can bring their pet, when they can't take care of it anymore (or don't want to). Where found animals will be brought to. Where animals wait, hoping for a new owner, for a new life.
But have you ever heard of something called "Animal Management Centers"? Some of you in America might nod, because this name is used in some parts of America for animal shelters.
But I don't mean the american ones. I mean the japanese ones.
They also take in animals. Show them to people that like to adopt them.
AND GAS THEM IN UNBELIEVABLE HIGH AMOUNTS.

In 2011, 175.000 dogs and cats had been gassed. It is at least 40% less then 5 years ago, because some people actually wanted to get this killing stopped.
But it still happens.
People that send their pets to the management center send them in to die. If the dog is judged as too active, too likely to bite or too unsocial, he will be gassed. Cats will always be gassed, since the places are almost breaking from the amount of cats and kittens. And those people that adopt the animals usually send them back. They take them in and return them in a year or two - often with puppies and kittens.
The staff of those centers is quoted regulary to hate their job, to suffer from hearing the animals suffocate in those 30 seconds until they are dead. They force the new owners to watch movies of the actual killing. Advice them to neuter the pets. Ask them about their cicumstances, about the probabilty of them actually keeping the animal for a long time.
All in vain.

And most owners choose the Animal Management Centers instead of the ARK, the Animal Rescue Center. Where no animal is "send to sleep".
When I walk the streets here in Japan, I see no dogs. Don't even hear them. I have seen two cats in two months and one is a wild cat that chose to live close to some stables. Japan with it's small apartements and busy people is not fit for keeping animals, it seems. They still want to. And when it gets to much, they send them to the AMC. Knowing, that their pet will most probably not get a second chance, but will die on that day or the next.

Some more facts:
That comment in The Japan Times said another thing.
While most countries also send animals to sleep, even though not in this unreasonable high amount and with such a structure (or method), there is one big exception (at least the only one I know of, too).
Germany.
Germany NEVER kills a animal without reason.
If the animal shelters are breaking from overload, then they build a new one. Pay people to take them in and care for them until there is space again. Do anything but putting healthy animals to sleep.
Aggression - no reason.
Too active - no reason.
Dangerous - no reason (except the police is actually able to convince 1-2 judges of the apparent danger).
Too much animals - NO REASON.

It goes as far as that Germany is actually low on people being able to even perform a euthnasia. Only vetenarians are allowed and trained in it while in many countries the staff of animal shelters are actually also trained and allowed to send animals to sleep.
In Germany, there is the strict rule, that a euthnasia is only allowed for medical reasons. If the animal has a injury that will make life torturous. If it has a sickness that will lead to a slow and painful death. And even then, usually the animal is allowed to life with mediaction instead of just fading away.
German vetenarians care for the animal. They are not cruel and will kill the animal, if there is really nothing else to do for it. But if it has a chance, they would rather try to find a owner willing to care for a hurt or sick animal then send a otherwise happy pet to it's final rest.
There is actually even a TV show that runs on sundays, where pets are displayed that can't find a home. Often animals that are blind, deaf, have eating problems, problems with their legs, skin disease and all those things that make the animal not unable to live a happy life, but that are seemingly a reason to kill the pet in most countries.
But germans actually care. People take those animals in, take care of them.
To the point where germans become very passionate in revenge when there is a animal hater in the neighbourhood, putting poison or knife baits out or even shooting animals. Civilians form gigantic groups to hunt those persons down. And a cat that got one of it's legs shot off in the process will surely find a owner that is willing to pay for a leg prothesis, the medication and what ever that animal needs to be as happy as before.

Also, if there are actually animals that are unable to live with humans (like cats and dogs that grew up wild and can't be tamed), the shelter will also not kill them. They will care for them until the animal dies, often even giving them some extras like more time outside or special treatment, to make up with the fact, that it will live in a cage his whole life.
And - just to tell that, too. Cages in german shelters are actually very big and comfortable. Except for babies and when the dogs are in the outside area, every animal gets its own cage. All cages are pretty spaceous and usually contain toys, blankets (climbing toys for the cats) and they get regular meals, because almost EVERY supermarket asks its customers to maybe buy animal food (or more rarely toys) and donate it in a box for the local animal shelter.
So if you visit Germany, have a bit of money to spare and a big heart for animals, then buy a can of food and donate it in the red box at the exit.
And if you instead have a lot of time, just visit a shelter. The workers are always happy, when people ask to take a walk with some of the dogs, since the animals can't all have a walk daily (too many dogs, too less workers).


A personal fact:
My own family has never owned a "breed" cat.
Every single cat (and I know of at least 13 since my mom had been a child) had been from the animal shelter. Most with a tragic past or a severe sickness. My mom chose to always ask for those that nobody wants.
Right now, my mom owns five cats.
The oldest one, Kira, has lost her owner who had died of age. She had a broken hip and my mom pays about 40€ a month just for her medication. She can run, play and is very cuddly, even though she hates our "middle" cat.
The second oldest one is Meerle, he had been on a farm where the owner wanted to shoot them and where neighbours saved the cats. He is perfectly healthy, but seems to be a incest cat, since he seems to be slightly brain damaged and his eyes look weird.
Our middle cat is Louis. A mass breeder had been found, selling kittens to a very cheap price by keeping all cats in unbelievable small and dirty cages, feeding them just as much as needed, not even caring about their flea inflictment. He is perfectly fine now, but the doctor warned us, that there might be later issues, since mass breeding usually results in health problems.
Our two youngest cats are still kittens and about 5 months old. Someone had literally thrown them into the trash on a parking next to a highway. They had all kinds of parasites, hadn't been fed for about a week or something and one had a serious cold. We happened to be in the shelter on the day they got them and since they knew us, we got them without even asking. They are now clean, healthy and full of energy and the sweetest little kittens on earth.
We had a sixth one till last year, she had been at least 23 years old (we had her for 22 years and she had already been an adult when my mom got her), but in her last days, her whole body pretty much collapsed, from inflammation on multiple spots to a terminal liver failure. Her whole life through, she had trouble with her teeth and ears, but we just got special food and bought a special ointment for her ears. And instead of turning deaf, she turned 23.

So just the thought of any animal getting put to sleep for no apparent reasons is not understandable for me.
For I have seen with my own eyes, that a animal, no matter the pain and the hurt, is always able to get through it with loving care.


LINKS:
The article about one of the Animal Management Centers
The comment from the readers section that brought me to the topic