"Yuba, you're going to be a big sister," is just one of the things Keiko Tanaka repeatedly told her dog before the birth of her son Rei. When Yuba and Rei first met, the dog watched over the child as he slept like an elder sister would for a younger brother. Recently, Yuba has begun coming to the kitchen as a way of letting his mother know when Rei is getting cranky. Yuba and Rei also cuddle up and watch TV together sometimes. "When it comes to motherhood, Yuba outranks me, having given birth to so many children," Tanaka said with a smile in Kawasaki on Aug. 7. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)
A small white dog named Yuba tenderly gazes at a young boy as though she is his elder sibling. Ever since her owner, Keiko Tanaka, 32, who lives in Kawasaki, gave birth to her first son Rei, 1, in May last year, his closest companion has been Yuba.
Yuba is a female rescue dog who became a member of the Tanaka family two years ago, after being taken from a breeder that forced her to give birth to several litters of puppies for the sole purpose of selling them. Tanaka came across Yuba through the assistance of a private animal rescue group and the dog has become an irreplaceable member of the family.
"Yuba is very kind after all of the hardships she has faced up until now," Tanaka said.
Goro is a comedian and loved by everyone, said Edward Lampert, seen standing in the back on the right near his wife, in Minato Ward, Tokyo, on Sept. 21. All sorts of people reached out to them and their relationship continues to grow. The windows are fitted with large stained glass with pictures of the couple's first and second dogs, both of whom were rescue dogs. Time calmly passes around Goro in the room filled with gentle light. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)
Rescue dogs are taken in by local animal care centers or private rescue groups for a variety of reasons, such as having been abandoned by their owners or breeders.
According to the Environment Ministry, the number of dogs kept at facilities such as animal care centers decreased by two-thirds in the last 10 years, while the number of cases in which dogs were killed decreased to less than a tenth. However, it seems that those who own or sell pets still have a low awareness when it comes to the importance of life.
Edward Lampert, 66, and Yumi Kitamura, 62, a couple living in Minato Ward, Tokyo, adopted a Saint Bernard named Goro into their family three years ago. He is their third rescue dog. He was sold from a truck as though he were a showpiece but now spends his days peacefully.
The Kato family adopted a mixed breed dog named Knight, who suffers from an incurable disease. "We took his illness into consideration, but we instantly fell in love with him when we met him for the first time," said owner Ayumi Kato, right, in Mitaka, Tokyo, on Sept. 13. "Every day is full of fun," said her son Rintaro. Kato added: "We watched a video about an animal care center and discussed all of our options together as a family when it came to welcoming a dog into our lives. Now our dream is a family camping trip." (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)
"If you're thinking about getting a dog, you should begin your search for your new family member in your local shelters. I'd like to see a society where that way of thinking is the norm," Kitamura said.
From left, the dogs Niko, Chako, Hikaru, Asahi, Diana and Hanna go for a morning walk along the beach in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Sept. 20. All but Niko were rescued from breeders. "Younger dogs who are afraid continue to learn so much from the older rescue dogs," said Naoko Miyabashira, second from the right. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)Wight is a standard poodle who was rescued from a breeder. Because he was kept in a cage and his hair was overgrown, he was taken in by an animal rescue group. Five years have passed since then, and he has become the mascot of a shop run by his owner, Tomonori Sato. He lies down beside Sato when there are no customers, and runs up to them when they come in. Many customers have recently begun coming just to see Wight. "He seems to enjoy [the attention]," said Sato in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, on Aug. 28. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)
