Monday, June 15, 2009

the dog whisperer




my name is taro.
i'm a little scared of people, so please don't pet me.
if you want to pet me, wait just a bit more...
-taro

matsunaga san, the woman who owns the restaurant i work at, has turned her land into a sort of foster home for neglected or abused dogs. in the few days i've been here i've already seen 5 dogs come and go. she brings them here, and people on a waiting list come by to see if the dog would make a good match for their family.

the other day she took me along to pick up one of the dogs. i expected to show up to some old run down shack, the dog owner screaming at us as we stole the one thing they could use to take out their anger on.



instead we show up to a house with a kind elderly couple, the man helps us load all the dog food and such into the car, while the woman sits in the doorway sobbing, eyes red from probably hours of crying. im thinking, why are we taking this dog away? he looks healthy, loves people, and he's still just a puppy.

i find out that japan has a law, where when someone reaches a certain age, they are no longer allowed to have a dog, simply because they can't care for them anymore. now i understand that...it really is best for the dog to be with a family that can take him for walks and all that junk, but in japan, after they take the dog away to the pound, if no one claims him in 3 days, he's killed. doesn't matter how wonderful a dog he may be.

so now tomu chan is the newest member of this ever growing family. this guy LOVES to go for walks. we're already best friends.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

cool dog. sad story, though. but you said he was just a puppy. if these folks knew they coudn't keep him, why'd they get him?

ashley said...

perhaps they didn;t know the new law and someone reported them? that is sad! i'm glad you found a new friend though :) cute

Gene said...

So I'm guessing you are not homesick or having the worst time of your life or wishing you had never gone, etc. And by the way, don't even think of bringing that dog home if it doesn't understand english.

Miss you,

Dad

mom said...

Makes me want another dog. : )

We miss you!

The Family of Logo said...

What a sad, sad thing... I'm just glad the old couple still have each other.

abby coyle photo said...

I followed your blog link off fbook. I hope that's okay! I want to hear about your adventures in Japan. I have a friend traveling there and teaching for a year. I should connect you guys.

OH, and I'm a dog whisperer. Seriously. Don't doubt it. I want that dog too.

Little Flay said...

Big Flay I love the angle of the pictures! And that is so sad. I know what it is like to give something that you love with all your heart to some stranger.

The Family of Logo said...

Brad said, the old man's prolly wishing they'd take the wife... or the old lady was crying cuz they were taking the dog instead of her husband! LOL!