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The story behind the situation - as told to us by people in Japan.

Translating Japanese into English the word for a dependent animal comes out as 'child'. In Osaka, Japan, there are over 250 'children' who are dependent on the local authorities - the 'Prefecture' - for their future.

Japanese animal welfare laws are archaic and poorly enforced by the authorities. This situation enables breeders / importers / retailers to do pretty much as they please - often crowding their breeding stock into facilities we would find appalling in the West. Breeders overstretch themselves and often end up in trouble and this is one of those situations.

It is a frequently occurring scenario in Japan and one the country should be ashamed of.

In January 2007 the breeder in this case went out of business for reasons that are not that clear to us at this time. As far as we can tell, they simply walked away from these dogs but  called in a small local dog rescue society called Wan Life (Dogs Life) to confront the mess left behind.

Wan Life found 257 dogs of various popular breeds in very crowded conditions at the breeders home (see image opposite). Some were in crates, others loose. Breeding bitches, stud dogs and pups of all ages were abandoned.

Some of the dogs appeared to be ill and a vet checked them and diagnosed Canine Brucellosis - a disease caused by a gram-negative, intracellular bacterium called Brucella Canis.

Although this is a canine infection where the dog is the primary host, it can cross species to humans so the matter became one of public health and the local authorities stepped in and quarantined the premises.

So far this all seems fairly logical but this is where it started to go wrong for the dogs. The authorities decreed that those that were in crates and cages must remain so (see picture opposite) and those that were loose and mixing together should remain so (see picture below).

Wan Life volunteers who had been attending to care for the dogs had their access restricted on public health grounds but the authorities made no other arrangements for the care and welfare of the dogs, nor provided any food, medication or exercise - they simply locked the dogs in.

The water, electricity and utilities had been disconnected by the supply companies and no effort was made to reconnect them.

Wan Life volunteers were allowed limited access and were obliged to find food, medication, water and other essentials from public donations. At the same time the authorities were reluctant to allow any media interest to highlight the plight of these dogs and thus ensure better support for the volunteers.

The dogs were all tested and nearly half of them were found to be infected. Common sense dictates that the thing to do is to separate the infected from the uninfected and thus prevent further spread of infection, but the authorities would not allow this, insisting that they must remain as they were found.

The overcrowding naturally led to conflicts and there were fights resulting in further injuries and the need for further treatment.

The general condition of some of the long coated breeds was poor and all the dogs needed grooming, bathing and sanitary care but every attempt by the rescue group to facilitate this was opposed or impeded by the authorities.

This disease can be contracted by humans but it is very, very rare and humans can make a speedy recovery with the use of common antibiotics. With dogs it takes longer so quick action is essential.

The disease is well documented to already be infecting an estimated 9% of pet dogs in Japan so this is hardly a unique case and the argument that moving these dogs to better facilities may let the disease loose in the outside world does not stand up.

It is already out there!

While the Osaka Prefecture dragged its feet, dug its heels in and resisted all attempts to discuss the matter or bring independent vets in, some of these dogs were dying (see picture opposite).

It is fair to say that if the authorities had done their job in the first place, the breeder would not have been allowed to get into this situation so they must have been concerned about loosing face if the press got the story.

They were also reluctant to spend taxpayers money and their argument was that the infected dogs needed to be destroyed at the first opportunity. Cheapest way.

In the meantime the word was spreading through Japanese internet chat sites, Blogs and the rescue groups website so the rescue team was slowly gaining public support.

The authorities had yet another meeting and decided to kill the infected dogs. They were secretive about this meeting and only announced it at the last moment.

Protests were lodged by many but we are all being fobbed off and still the authorities did nothing other than try and get rid of the 'interfering' volunteers by making life difficult for them.

The dogs just waited, condemned prisoners on death row - peering from their cages - but at least the electricity was back on!.

Eventually the strain proved too much on the resources of Wan Life rescue team and they had to reluctantly withdraw. Pressure on volunteers was taking its toll and they were simply 'bullied' until they could take no more and handed over to another group calling themselves Ark Angels. This was a bigger group who had more clout.

Ark Angels have better media contacts and there have been confrontations and arguments with the authorities outside the premises - filmed and broadcast.

The authorities backed down and an independent vet has been in and has stated that in his opinion there is no sensible reason to destroy the dogs. His argument is supported by many other veterinary practitioners familiar with the disease. It can be treated.

Still the authorities want to kill the dogs. It is beginning to look like the reason for keeping them in such appalling and crowded conditions may have been to allow the disease to spread. The conditions are ideal.

Food and other goods are being donated as the story gets out and more people get behind the rescue.

The authorities are refusing to back down. Although it is the general will of the people that they do something to help these dogs they seem determined to destroy them.

A politician, Makiko Fujino, has now become involved. She has visited the site (see picture below) but will this make a difference?

We are still getting emails from people in Japan who tell us that the authorities will not back down unless opinions of people in other countries are registered to support the rescue attempt.

So this is what we are asking you to do - send an email - or better two - to support this rescue and save these dogs.

All the rescue teams want is the chance to help and this is being denied them by an over zealous Prefecture.

Would we allow our Councils to walk over us in this way? Would the RSPCA (or any SPCA) allow a local authority to keep dogs in such appalling conditions and deny them aid? Not in any civilized country - there would be protests and the media would shout loudest.

This is a horror story and the worst of it is that the authorities who are in charge of the situation simply do not seem to care about their charges.

Japan is not a cruel country. Its people are generally kind and considerate but it looks like its officials are of the worst kind.

Cold hearted, secretive, autocratic and confrontational - all talk and no action - maybe in the long run they will prove this to be wrong - but so far this has not been the case.

These dogs have been kept in these conditions by the Prefecture for over a month. It's atrocious and in this country, subject to prosecution!

OK - so its a long way away and a foreign country but look into your dogs eyes and then ask yourself if you would want others to help him or her in such a situation - of course you would - you would just let someone kill your best friend - would you?

Spread the word - spread the story - email friends and send them to this page. Lets support our friends in Japan.

Click here to send your support.

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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.