ARK Tails

Al has been rehomed!!! I hinted about this at the end of my entry about the last adoption event, but because it hadn’t been decided I didn’t want to say too much. He had started a trial with a new family, but at that time we weren’t sure if he would get along with the dogs they already had.


Al’s new home is with Boss and Cherry!
We were worried at first because Boss didn’t really like Al, but now they are good buddies. Al has become one of the family♪ This is thanks to all love the family gives their dogs.



Al has been waiting to find his forever family and to lead a normal dog’s life.
He can now go for walks with his new mom and dad, and he can sleep deeply on top of warm blankets.


◆◆◆　A Message from Al’s Family　◆◆◆

At first when we used to open the front door, Al would come to greet
us excitedly. We would try to take what he was holding in his mouth from him but he didn’t want us to. However, over time his behavior changed. He would come running up to the second floor with his tailing wagging and the newspaper in his mouth. We would say “thank you” and take the newspaper from him. And he would let go of it! Now we have him bring us many different things.
Al is very well-behaved and so cute! He is such a well-trained Golden Retriever that it makes me sad to think that nobody wanted to adopt him.
He even lets me clean his ears.
Al is such a good dog!

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

Al, you are one lucky boy!



★　Field Note Adoption Event
　　　Date: October 18 (Sunday) 11:30-16:00
　　　Venue: Field Note, Nara City
　　　Previous Field Note Adoption Event　←Please click here☆
★　ARK’s 20th Anniversary Photo Panel Exhibition
　　　Date: September 21 (Monday) through October 18 (Sunday)
　　　Venue: ×dining">magatama cafe×dining
★　ARK 20th Anniversary Party at the Ramada Hotel Osaka
　　　Date: November 7 (Saturday), doors open 18:30 (and close around 21:30)
　　　Venue: Ramada Hotel (Nakatsu, Osaka)

On October 10 (Saturday), ARK took part in Nara City’s Parent-Child Festival.
This was one of the pre-events leading up to next year’s Nara International Film Festival. There were several participants, some of whom had booths featuring handicrafts and natural foods. ARK was happy to be invited to participate. Although none of the dogs or cats attended, we did have a panel display to inform people about animal rescue and we sold ARK goods.



We were able to interact with many people; some knew about ARK and our activities and some knew nothing about us or our rescue facilities. A big thank you goes out to Kōbo Gi-san who prepared our panel display and gave us support in setting it up at the venue.

ARK has several events this autumn as we are coming up on our 20th anniversary next year.
Next week we will be holding an adoption event for dogs in Nara, and Elizabeth Oliver will make a presentation and chair a discussion in Osaka.
There will also be an adoption event in Tokyo.

Even if you can’t adopt an animal, if you are interested in volunteering for us we would be happy to hear from you!


◆◆◆　Event Details　◆◆◆

★　Field Note Adoption Event
　　　Date: October 18 (Sunday) 11:30-16:00
　　　Venue: Field Note, Nara City
　　　Previous Field Note Adoption Event　←Please click here☆
★　ARK’s 20th Anniversary Photo Panel Exhibition
　　　Date: September 21 (Monday) through October 18 (Sunday)
　　　Venue: magatama cafe×dining
★　ARK 20th Anniversary Party at the Ramada Hotel Osaka
　　　Date: November 7 (Saturday), doors open 18:30 (and close around 21:30)
　　　Venue: Ramada Hotel (Nakatsu, Osaka)

Hello. My name is Pattsun-sama-o. Hey, why are you laughing?

I got such a long name because the staff thought my forehead looked like the “pottsun” hairstyle that is popular here, because I was found in the summer, and because I am a boy.
Phew! It’s hard to explain in English so I hope you’ll just accept the name!

I have been chosen as one of ARK’s sponsor cats. A big thank you to all my sponsors!



When I feel really stressed I begin to hyperventilate.
One day, my breathing became so strange that they had to take me to the vet. I had to spend about an hour in car going through fields and over mountains in order to get to the vet. I didn’t know where I was going and got so nervous inside my small cage. I was so upset I had trouble breathing.

An x-ray of my heart showed that it’s a somewhat irregular shape. But it’s not so bad that I need to take medicine regularly. The vet said I need to lead a quiet life with as little stress as possible.

I’ve heard the staff talking about me.
“Even though he easily gets bladder infections and has to eat prescription food, and is shy with people, I’m sure that somebody will want to adopt him. But what happens if we put him in the car to take him to his new family and he starts to hyperventilate and damages his heart further?”
“I tell prospective families that despite the membrane adhesion in his right eye, he can still see fine and lead a normal life, but they avoid him and aren’t interested…”
”I guess we won’t be able to find him a home…”



When I was a kitten I got along really well with the other kittens. But over time I ended up getting into a lot of fights. I just wanted to play…Maybe my way of playing wasn’t right?

I don’t know when it started, but at some point in my life I became scared of strangers. I would think “Who are you?” and “What do you want?” and become so nervous that I couldn’t breathe well. What I really want is to be loved, petted and hugged.

If it were somebody that I knew then I would jump up on their lap and massage their legs with my paws.

So this is why I was chosen to be a sponsor cat.
If you’re interested in me, please go to the “Sponsor a Pet” link on the ARK homepage.




★　ARK’s 20th Anniversary Photo Panel Exhibition
　　　Date: September 21 (Monday) through October 18 (Sunday)
　　　Venue: magatama cafe×dining
★　Nara Parent-Child Festival (Bee Craft Fair) (PR panel exhibition)
　　　Date: October 10 (Saturday) 11:00 – 16:00
　　　Venue: “Tsudoi no Hiroba” Kenritsu Bunka Kaikan-mae (Nara Prefectural Culture Hall); Nara Park
　　　http://www.nara-iff.jp/ja/pre-event/2009/09/13/4/
★　Field Note Adoption Event
　　　Date: October 18 (Sunday) 11:30-16:00
　　　Venue: Field Note, Nara City
　　　Previous Field Note Adoption Event　←Please click here☆

Since Suzu had lived with a single male owner, it was hard for her to get used to the environment of ARK. We can’t blame her for that; there are a lot of cats and dogs, many people come and go, and it’s always noisy. Her feelings are natural for a cat who has mostly lived quietly by herself.

She had to stay alone in a tiny room for a while. She couldn’t move in to the relatively spacious shared cat enclosure because she doesn’t like other cats and didn’t get along with them.



We aren’t sure if this was the reason, but we found something that looked like a rash on her belly. She had a lot of bumps all over her belly, like the bumps you see on massage slippers.

According to a vet’s diagnosis, there was a possibility that she had tumors of the mammary gland and she might survive only six months.

One of the ARK staff said, “I’m going to take her home and take care of her. I doubt anyone would adopt a cat who might live for just six months, and I don’t want her to live a stressful life in a tiny room for the remainder of her life.”



She wasn’t close to people at ARK, but to our surprise, she became close to the staff member who took her in; she meows when she comes home and asks to be petted. She eats anything and can stay home by herself for hours at a time. She easily gets used to friends or visitors. We never imagined this when she was at ARK.



And something unbelievable happened!
Those tumor-like bumps disappeared! The vet said she doesn’t have a tumor and the cause of the bumps is unknown; it could be just an inflammation of the mammary gland. We saw the vet two months later and the vet said she’s all right.

I wonder what happened to her. Was it herpes caused by stress? I think, however, she could have ended up with malignant cancer if she had stayed in the stressful environment of ARK.



After many twists and turns, Suzu is no longer a cat that isn’t adoptable because she may live only six months. Instead, she’s a cat that’s easy to live with, and would be a good partner. We’d recommend her to single people, couples who have given up on having dogs because both have a job and are out of the house all day, or people who just want a calm, adult cat.

Please call us before you visit ARK if you wish to see Suzu. The staff member who is looking after her will bring her to ARK to see you!


◆◆◆　Profile of Suzu　◆◆◆



★　ARK’s 20th Anniversary Photo Panel Exhibition
　　　Date: September 21 (Monday) through October 18 (Sunday)
　　　Venue: magatama cafe×dining
★　Nara Parent-Child Festival (Bee Craft Fair) (PR panel exhibition)
　　　Date: October 10 (Saturday) 11:00 – 16:00
　　　Venue: “Tsudoi no Hiroba” Kenritsu Bunka Kaikan-mae (Nara Prefectural Culture Hall); Nara Park
　　　http://www.nara-iff.jp/ja/pre-event/2009/09/13/4/
★　Field Note Adoption Event
　　　Date: October 18 (Sunday) 11:30-16:00
　　　Venue: Field Note, Nara City
　　　Previous Field Note Adoption Event　←Please click here☆

We hope everyone had great autumn long weekend.

We had a great weekend at ARK.
We had all kinds of people here; some to adopt, some to volunteer, and others to bring donations…so many visitors!
We apologize to everyone who had to wait or didn’t have enough time to get information or speak with us because of the shortage of available staff. It was so crazy that we weren’t even able to answer the phone when it rang!

We also have wonderful news. A lot of animals were adopted over the weekend!



Anzu and Ume, who were abandoned in front of ARK right after they were born, left with their new families.

Our staff members looked a little sad when these two kittens left. The kittens had special needs, so staff had taken turns skipping sleep to make sure they got the care they needed. Of course they’re happy that the kittens have found new families!

Only Karin is left now. While she’s waiting for a new family to give her a home, she plays with her friends at ARK☆



↑↑Please be Karin’s new family☆
2009.05.31 　Kittens were abandoned at ARK
2009.06.18　The Kittens are Growing Well!!


The long weekend is over but we truly hope that all the other animals get adopted as soon as they possibly can.



★　ARK’s 20th Anniversary Photo Panel Exhibition
　　　Date: September 21 (Monday) through October 18 (Sunday)
　　　Venue: magatama cafe×dining
★　Nara Parent-Child Festival (Bee Craft Fair) (PR panel exhibition)
　　　Date: October 10 (Saturday) 11:00 – 16:00
　　　Venue: “Tsudoi no Hiroba” Kenritsu Bunka Kaikan-mae (Nara Prefectural Culture Hall); Nara Park
　　　http://www.nara-iff.jp/ja/pre-event/2009/09/13/4/
★　Field Note Adoption Event
　　　Date: October 18 (Sunday) 11:30-16:00
　　　Venue: Field Note, Nara City
　　　Previous Field Note Adoption Event　←Please click here☆