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<\/a>At first glance, this image looks like a jigsaw puzzle of matchsticks strewn haphazardly on the floor. In reality, this is an aerial view of the resulting debris from the earthquake and tsunami that struck northern Japan on March 11, 2011.<\/p><\/div>\n
For the hundreds of thousands of people along the northern coast of Japan, first came the roar and rumble of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that had skyscrapers swaying in the wind and buckled highways, followed by gigantic waves as high as 30 feet that rushed ashore, whisking away cars and carrying buildings set ablaze by fires towards factories, fields and highways.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Thousands of homes and businesses were instantly destroyed, numerous roads were impassable, public transportation was not running, and power and cellphones were down. The tsunami caused a number of nuclear accidents, most significantly, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant meltdown that resulted in an evacuation for nearby residents from 20-30km around the plant (13-19 miles), with up to 20km being mandatory and up to 30km, highly advisable.<\/p>\n Streets became impassable as they were ruthlessly littered with collapsed homes, businesses, and large boats that became land bound as if they were a child\u2019s toy. File: US Navy 110315-N-2653B-148, CC BY 2.0<\/p><\/div>\n As I watched the events unveil, it all seemed so surreal to me and the full scope of it did not sink in. I was in shock, I was horrified, my heart broke for the people, the graphic pictures moved me, I wept, I grieved, I donated money, but it was just so far away and I will admit I was not immediately connecting the dots insofar as how it affected the overall pet population, in particular, cats.<\/p>\n No picture better expresses the futility and hopelessness for the thousands of pets that lost their lives as a result of the disasters than this surreal image of a house serenely bobbing in the water as if it were meant to be. So many animals were left inside homes by pet owners who thought they would back later to attend to them.<\/p><\/div>\n Assuming that they would be back in a few days, most pet owners left their cats and dogs either indoors or tied up when the tsunami warning sounded, never imagining just how large and powerful that wave would actually be and the great majority of these animals did not survive. Those that did were left to fend for themselves, in a hostile and dangerous environment with no food source or fresh water. Many of the owners of these surviving pets were killed, or living in evacuation centers that did not allow pets, leaving these displaced animals desperately struggling to survive. There were also thousands more that were left behind when evacuation orders were enforced because of the Fukushima meltdown and owners were not allowed back due to radiation fears.<\/p>\n A full year later, with my newfound status as an author and cat blogger, I can truthfully say that it all seems very real now and I realize that despite the miles and difference in cultures, we really are but a connected universe of one people who want to make a difference. For Jennifer Koca, that difference was cats, and for us, complete strangers who met via my blog and facebook, that was our connection and I have come full circle \u2013 the dots have connected and through a series of email conversations, Jennifer and I agreed that it was important the story of the Tohoku\/Fukushima cats in the aftermath of the disaster be shared as much as possible.<\/p>\n Today I will briefly introduce you to Jennifer \u2013 why she came to Japan and what she experienced when she first arrived. As the days progress, I will then introduce you to several other incredible people who have given their lives to helping these cats, what the daily obstacles are that they face, and what we can do to help. And please bear in mind, this was not the easiest task for me to undertake \u2013 the enormity of the situation is daunting and I had to remain fair \u2013 the purpose of these posts is not to judge a culture, but to help educate people about the Tohuko\/Fukushima situation with respect and dignity. Public misconception about cats is a universal problem, and Japan is no exception\u2026<\/p>\n Jen in the states with some of her feline friends – L to R – Brownie, Trouble, and Angel. Brownie and Angel are Jen’s cats and Trouble has since been adopted!<\/p><\/div>\n Jennifer was living her comfortable life in Herndon, VA, as a 1st grade special education teacher\u00a0along with her boyfriend, her friends, family, and her two beloved cats. She and her boyfriend were both big into animal rescue, with Jennifer being a near full-time volunteer with the Richmond VA SPCA. \u00a0About a month before the disasters struck, they had been offered jobs in Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), but as soon as they heard about the situation in Japan, they wanted to leave immediately to help these poor cats that were barely clinging to life amidst the wreckage.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, it was not as simple as just packing up and leaving the next day and all she could do was was talk to the people in Tohoku and it was killing her that she could not be there to help in person. Visas take a long time to get and she also had commitments to her state-side job. Once the visas were in place (two weeks later) she quit her job and was on her way to Tokyo with her boyfriend for training. They moved to Yamanashi prefecture as ALT\u2019s and this particular area was not hit hard by the disaster. On long weekends or school breaks, they volunteer with the Japan Cat Network<\/a> (JCN) and the 5 hour trip (one way) costs $250.00 in tolls. I was incredibly curious and my first question to her was, \u201cWhat did the Fukushima surroundings look like the first time you met with the JCN staff?\u201d<\/p>\n Jennifer indicated that different areas of Fukushima were in different states of distress after the disasters. The areas very close to the coast where the tsunami hit were littered with giant boats, there were huge cracks in many buildings, and there were paper cranes everywhere (the Japanese symbol for peace). The places that were simply evacuated, felt like time had stopped entirely. She said it was incredibly eerie to drive through a town and not see or hear any signs of human life.<\/p>\n This picture came from the students of Jaffrey-Rindge School District in New Hampshire \u2013 one of many schools and organizations that folded origami paper cranes to send to Japan to help fundraising efforts. For each of the 1,429 cranes that they folded and sent, two dollars was donated from the Bezos Family Foundation to Architecture for Humanity\u2019s reconstruction efforts. The cranes are symbolic in Japan of peace and hope, and, according to legend, anyone who folds 1,000 of them will be granted a wish by a crane.<\/p><\/div>\n Cats lined up along the road, searching for food or their owners, dogs ran to you, whimpering, as if they were wondering if you could tell them where their family had gone. And then there were the unlucky ones \u2013 every trip she took into the evacuated areas forced her to see at least one dead body. Usually they looked like they had died from starvation and all of them looked like they had suffered terribly.<\/p>\n This starving and malnourished cat typified any number of cats wandering the streets after the disasters. Luckily this cat has since found a happy ending and has been adopted into a forever home\u2026<\/p><\/div>\n She said that most people that were made homeless moved into shelters, most of which were old gymnasiums or warehouses where they were allotted a small area to call \u201chome.\u201d Pets were not allowed inside these makeshift places, so many people had to leave their animals in cars, or simply release them into the streets. All shelters had far too many people and there were long winding lines for people just waiting to get a drink of water. A year later, some people are still in these shelters, their lives stuck in limbo.<\/p>\n This cat peers out from the woods and is part of the aftermath of the disasters \u2013 was she a pet, stray, or feral? Because of the traumatic experience, it is very difficult for JCN volunteers to distinguish what they are dealing with and that is one of the biggest obstacles they face.<\/p><\/div>\n I now put myself into this mindset and it physically pains me to think of what my life would be like if I had to make a conscious decision to release any of my beloved cats into the street. In the next post of this series, we will look closer at this \u2013 what the perception in Japan is of pet cats, feral cats, stray cats, and shelter cats and why the fine line between all of these types of cats on the streets is so grey in light of the disasters.<\/p>\n This series of posts was in the works prior to the devastating tornadoes that hit the Ohio Valley and several Southern States last week. We offer our sincere prayers to everyone whose lives have been affected. Many animals will need help during the recovery period and we ask that you check with\u00a0sites\u00a0such as\u00a0 Petfinders.com<\/span><\/a> <\/em>for ways to offer assistance and\u00a0to donate<\/em> towards the cause.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>