Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2011

The human cost from the March 11th earthquake and tsunami has been enormous. Already the death toll has climbed over 13,000, with many more still missing. Survivors have faced a lack of supplies, the fierce cold and ongoing aftershocks, all the while struggling with grief, trauma and uncertainty. But the human victims are not alone.

“There are needy people and there are going to be needy people for a long time. And wherever there are people, there are pets,” says David Wybenga of Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support. “We just want to give them a hand.”

JEARS, which is a cooperation between Tohoku-based Japan Cat Network, Animal Friends Niigata and HEART-Tokushima, began sending teams of volunteers into the disaster area almost immediately to assist in any way they could.

“We have been friends and collaborators for a number of years,” explains Wybenga. “It was the most natural thing in the world the next morning to say, ‘What’s going to happen to the animals there? We should do something.’”

The majority of the work the teams have been doing is delivering pet food and other goods to areas that have been cut off from supplies, as well as providing veterinary care where possible. They are also on the lookout for stray animals, though they haven’t found a lot so far. Consultants on their team who assisted in animal rescue after Katrina have said that many animals are likely still in hiding.

The group also set up a Facebook page where people can post information about stray animals or requests for help, which is then passed along to the teams. The site also provides a link to make donations and a list of needed supplies.

However, JEARS had not anticipated how much interest their activities would generate. The first page they set up was limited to 5000 members, but they blew threw that number in a couple of days and had to set up a different type of page. At last check, they were up to over 36,000 supporters.

“I was blown away,” says Wybenga. “Same with the donations. I had no idea there was that kind of interest and generosity.”

In addition to the teams on the ground, the group has been focusing on outreach to evacuees, particularly among the foreign community, who may not know what to do with their pets if they have to leave the country.

“Whether they don’t have the documentation or the preparedness or the money, they’re just not ready at the snap of a finger [to travel with pets]. So we’re trying to basically prevent abandonment,” say Wybenga. “We’ll take all of your pets whether it’s going to be temporary or permanent, either scenario. We will take them now, please don’t abandon them.”

They are also desperately searching for foster homes. Although they still have space in their shelters and boarding facilities, Wybenga worries that the situation creates a lot of stress for already traumatized animals.

“Some of them are quite nervous either to be in a cage or to be around other cats. They want to be in a home. If we can bring them to dependable foster homes, that would be a great solution while we wait to see what their future will be.”

It remains to be seen how long that wait will be, but considering the level of destruction, it may be some time before people are in a position to look after their pets again. However, until then, JEARS will do their best to look after them and all the pets who have lost their families. Says Wybenga, “For us, this is going to continue for a very long time.”

To find out more about JEARS and for regular updates from their rescue teams, see www.jears.org.