Japan Disaster: Relief & Recovery

Peace Winds not only rescues people in times of disaster, but cats and dogs too.

Each year, tens of thousands of abandoned pets are euthanized in Japan. Sadly, it's common for people to keep cats and dogs without considering the cost or responsibility, and many end up abandoned after their owners are unable to take care of them. Through our "Peace Wanko" project--Japanese for "Peace Doggy"--we are working to halt this practice by rescuing abandoned pets, retraining them, and finding them new homes or jobs as search-and-rescue dogs. Since 2016, we have built a large shelter in Hiroshima and taken in more than 6,000 dogs, including the sick and injured. We have more than 100 dedicated staff members working in eight locations around Japan to rescue these animals.

Some of the pets Peace Winds rehabilitates get adopted into new loving homes while others are retrained and stay with our organization to help save people in times of natural disaster around the country. There's still a long way to go to save the tens of thousands of other dogs and cats that continue to be euthanized annually across Japan, but with your help, we plan to open more adoption centers and hire more training staff. We remain committed to putting a stop to the cruel and senseless killing of countless innocent animals so they can go on to find good homes and help people in need.