Outside Frames? - To visit our website click here - Inside Frames? - HOME - You are Here   >>> The Dark Side >>> Japanese Dogs >>> Updates >>> Matatabi Vets Perspective

We had received an emergency e-mail from a reader of our magazine about the Osaka situation.

I am sending you this e-mail to hear your comments on the distressing situation of dying dogs at a breeders in Izumi, Osaka.

This is the background to this story

At the moment, 257 dogs of various popular breeds have been left behind at a breeders premises in Izumi city, Osaka since the breeder went out of business and walked away. Last year a number of her dogs had repeated abortions and a staff member had consulted a vet, revealing that some of the dogs had been infected with Brucellosis.

As Brucella Canis is a communicable disease, common to humans and animals, she was unable to continue with her business.

This breeder had kept approximately 260 dogs at the hillside premises without water and sewerage, which had not been connected for the past five years. Water was obtained from a neighbours and in winter when no staff were at work, the dogs went without. As of  February 20th the water has still not been reconnected and is brought to the site by car and kept in a tank. As a result the hygiene at the location is extremely poor.

In December last year, a part time member of the staff could no longer tolerate the situation and contacted a number of animal rescue organisations. There was virtually no response - possibly because of the fear of becoming involved in a situation where the animals were infected with a disease that could infect people. Only one organisation, a rescue group from Wakayama called “Wan Life”, responded and they began to supply food, cages and newspapers and other supplies. Shortly thereafter Osaka Prefecture authorities stepped in and announced their intention to destroy the dogs tested negative.

An inspection took place and Osaka Prefecture submitted a proposal to Wan Life to the effect that the Prefecture would take the ownership of the dogs. They promised that they would provide proper medical care to the dogs for the purpose of rescuing all the dogs. However, in reality there was no written agreement or transfer of ownership between the breeder and Wan Life, so there has been no official transfer or contract between Wan Life and the authorities. The premises have been taken into the custody of the authorities and ownership is still undecided.

The Prefecture asked the Ministry of the Environment for help and with the support of the Japan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and they launched a Rescue Committee for Brucella Canis in cooperation with the four organisations below.

Japan Animal Welfare Society

Japan Pet Care Association

Osaka Prefecture Veterinary Medical Association

Osaka City Veterinary Medical Association

Jan 18th, Osaka Prefecture announced that the test results had found 118 dogs to be infected out of the 257 and Brucellosis meditation commenced on Jan. 26th.

It had been Jan 2nd when the Prefecture first stepped in but  medication did not commence until Jan 26th . In the meantime (until Feb 20th), the volunteers had taken care for the dogs and done all the dirty works including disposals of excreta and cleaning cages. The volunteers were mainly supporters of Wan Life,  acting on their own initiative, knowing that Brucellosis is a communicable disease between man and animals. In comparison to the volunteers, the authorities did nothing except to come to the site and stay there for 30 to 60 minutes and go, only supplying water. After the authorities had left the volunteers continued feeding, watering and cleaning the premises.

With no running water, the hygienic environment on the premises was extremely poor and the health of the volunteers was of highest concern but it was only from Jan 25th that the authorities provided them with protective gear and masks. In the meantime the officials were wearing complete protection while the volunteers worked in their own casual clothes with only masks and gloves.

No regular instruction on infection control measures or recommendations reduce the risk of infection to the volunteers was provided by the Prefecture.

The volunteers had been exposed to the risk of infection. The officials had not been involved with the disposal of excreta or any aspect of handling infected material. Only the volunteers did this work. All the Prefecture had done is supply Brucellosis medication and water.

This volunteer group was made up of eight to ten people, mainly from Wan Life supporters. Ms. K, formerly a staff member working for the breeder, was acting as leader of the group and controlling the assignments of volunteers' working hours. They had worked this way taking care of the dogs for more than one month. In the middle of February, however, the Prefecture informed volunteers of their decision that they would take over control of volunteers' working shifts and from Feb 20th (Tuesday) the volunteers were to work from nine to five under the authority' s direction. But on the night of February 20th, the Prefecture called the volunteers to advise them that they were taking total control over the dogs and the breeders' premises and that no volunteer was to be allowed to work with the dogs anymore.

Reading the homepage of the "Rescue Committee of Osaka Prefecture", it seemed they were performing the task correctly and trying to rescue the dogs actively. However, and in reality, they are reluctant to care for the dogs. They did not provide any medicine to those dying dogs or injured ones that had been bitten by other dogs. They did not even offer daily necessities. No matter how often the volunteers asked, they would usually reply “I have to get permission at the next meeting.”  Because of this, many dogs had to pay the ultimate price. Because of the negligence of the authorities and relinquishment of medical treatment, a lot of dogs have died, many of whom had tested negative.

On the basis of the lack of proper care and provision by the authorities, the volunteers began to ask for aid supply for the dogs through their internet blog pages and from here the problem became known to a wider audience. Up to the end of February, 20 dogs have now passed away. Most of them were not infected with Brucellosis and died from other causes, not Brucella Canis. Many people witness that these dogs would probably still be alive if the authorities had taken care of them properly.

Information from Osaka Prefecture Rescue Committee for Brucella Canis.

Following are listed the major causes of death. Ten dogs had passed away by Feb 20th - the day field-work management was carried out by the Prefecture and Rescue Committee.

Jan 22 - Airedale Terrier  - being attacked by another dog.

Jan 23 - Dachshund - Mastitis (debilitated death?).

Also - Labrador - Escaped from broken cage and attacked by other dogs.

Feb 15 - French Bulldog (puppy and negative) - Side-effect of medication?

Feb 16 - Miniature Dachshund (positive) - Heart attack - Side-effect of medication?

Feb 17 - Shih Zhu (negative) - Severe skin disease causing infection to the brain

Also - Miniature Dachshund (positive) - Side-effect of medication?

Feb 19 - Shiba (positive) - Unknown reason.

Feb 20 - Shih Zhu (positive) - General debility with severe jaundice - Side-effect of medication?　

Also - Dachshund (positive) - General debility - Side-effect of medication?

The two dogs that died on Feb 20th were to be admitted to veterinary hospital by agreement of Matatabi Veterinarian Yamaguchi, ARK Angels and another veterinarian from Prefecture Rescue Committee. However, shortly after they had been taken to the animal hospital belonging to Osaka Vet Committee,  a vet there diagnosed the two dogs as 'not being in a serious condition' and sent them back to the breeders' premises later in the day. When a volunteer got to the site on the following day, it was revealed that they had died. Obviously this is nothing but a profound error of judgment, amounting to animal abuse, by the Osaka Prefecture.

The two dogs were amongst three of six dogs taken to the animal hospital and returned to the breeders on the same day. The other dog of the three dogs was a Cocker Spaniel. The Cocker has now been returned to hospital because its condition became worse.

As of Feb 21st eleven dogs had passed away.

The authorities have consistently refused to treat the debilitated dogs saying “they are carriers of the disease and have to be kept locked in cages.” A number of dogs died on the 17th February and only after repeated requests by the volunteers has treatment been provided in the form of IV and injections. Prior to that no medication other than Brucellosis treatment, and no exercise, had been given to the dogs.

The Brucellosis medication commenced on January 26  for a period of six weeks, however this is being given to prevent the disease from spreading and is not intended to cure the dogs. It is being given to all the dogs - both those that tested positive and those that tested negative. If the dogs, which have tested positive, continue to receive the current dose it is possible that they will experience serious side effects which could cause death. As the authorities have decided to destroy the infected dogs - and if these animals are restricted to their cages - no medication is necessary. Stop  the medication and they will not suffer, or die from side effects.

The authorities, however, continue to medicate the dogs to prevent transmission of the disease and this it is causing severe side effects and now the negative dogs are becoming sick and starting to die.

According to the volunteers, the dogs are not receiving the correct dose of antibiotics which should be administered in relation to the weight of the animals, but is being measured by eye. A volunteer who has been at the site since the beginning states that she has never seen any of the dogs being weighed and is concerned as to how the dose for each dog is being measured. The amount of medicine given to each dog must be based upon its weight, irrespective of whether it is a pup or an adult. Currently, two types of medicine are being administered, sprinkled on the food the dog receives and dosage, therefore, is not always accurate. However, the authorities say that “we are adapting the dose to the requirements of each individual dog.”

I telephoned the Osaka Prefecture authorities to confirm if they still intended to kill the dogs. The reply was, “A large percentage of the members and veterinarians on the rescue committee judged that it would be best to destroy all the dogs, however we are not doing that. We will test the dogs several times and will not destroy the ones that continue to test negative for Brucella Canis. The remainder of the dogs will be destroyed.

People who have visited the site agree that there are many problems in the way the dogs are managed on the premises.

The Prefecture officials are not taking into consideration the possibility of false positive tests and are not going to reconsider their decision on the tests. In the case of an inaccurate diagnosis, a life that should have been saved will have been destroyed and it is likely that lives will be claimed by the authorities decision not to take this possibility into account. The second blood tests will be performed soon.

Despite the fact that many people are complaining about the attitude of the authorities, they don' t accept these complaints or demands and are making no effort to try to save these dogs, uninfected or infected.

In the meantime, two animal rescue groups have come forward to rescue the dogs. One of them is Matatabi Veterinary Team and the other ARK Angels - an animal rescue group based in Osaka. Vet Yamaguchi, a director of Yamaguchi Animal Hospital in Kanagawa and a member of Matatabi Veterinary Team, has carried out a number of sterilization operation for Brucella Canis both in Japan and overseas.

Wan Life called for other rescue groups to be engaged in but no organization other than ARK Angels responded.

http://ark-angels.jp/brucellosis/brucellosis01-1.html

Matatabi Veterinary Team have made an offer to provide medical assistance and carry out the operations necessary for the dogs without charge and ARK Angels have offered voluntary services to deliver relief goods to the breeders premises but Osaka Prefecture have refused their offer saying they had already plenty of medical care and cooperation.

Copyright - Border Collie Rescue - 3037504

Border Collie Rescue is a UK based charity, working Internationally to Rescue and Re-home Border Collies and Working Sheepdogs and promote a better understanding of the breed and its Welfare.