There are still a lot of farmers evacuated after the nuclear power plant disaster in March 2011 unable to return to their farms to care for livestock. Their farms lie in areas restricted by government making it almost impossible for them to provide proper feed, water and clean shelter for their livestock. Many farmers have had to live in temporary shelter having lost their own properties and have even been driven to release the livestock into the wild in order to let them survive by themselves rather than keeping them without food in their farms.
Many animals have been rescued by NPO or individual activists who have made many sacrifices themselves. Despite big efforts by these people, all types of animals such as dogs, cats, pigs and cows have lost their lives from starvation, freezing to death and a number of other reasons from being forced to live in inhabitable area. Many animals are forced to be kept in cages or narrow places waiting for someone to come and feed them, and those who are less fortunate wander around aimlessly looking for food and water. Almost all pigs have already died in this area. One year after the disaster, the Japanese government lead roaming cows into fenced areas in order to put them to sleep.
Many activists in Japan are trying to stop this horrible situation by calling and mailing the related government offices (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Livestock Division of Fukushima Prefecture), collecting petitions, demonstrating, etc. Apart from the decision to put the cows to sleep, the ones captured and waiting for their outcome are terribly mistreated. They stand in deep mud, not even able to sit down due to the fact that most of the fences were built in marsh rice fields with no shelter. What is most disturbing it that the food and water provided is far less than enough (almost nothing) for all the cows. Many of the cows have died of starvation or being frozen in fences, although the government offices continuously say they are giving enough food and water to the cows.
Some local activists are asking the public to send them necessary food and goods to comfort the cows and people are trying to support such spontaneous action. The main problem is that there are too many cows and the area is huge and hence it is difficult to provide even a minimum treatment.
We are going to send the government offices following as the most urgent requests
- Give all cows enough food and water
- Provide them clean and comfortable environment
- Move them to larger and safer places
- Stop killing them
- Protect and give them proper treatment based on animal protection laws
Please sign on this petition to stop Japanese government abusing animals in evacuated area Fukushima, we need your help.
