≫ EDIT

2010.05.31 Mon

Senior Dogs’ Kennel Renovated

ARK is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
The number of kennels for the cats and dogs has been gradually increasing following repeated extensions…
ARK’s premises are becoming like a maze and there are aging kennels everywhere.



"That roof over there is leaking..."
"This fence post here is rotting and about to collapse..."
Simple repairs can’t fix most of the problems, so bigger repairs or replacements are required. The maintenance staff are so busy dealing with these things.




This senior dogs' kennel was still being used even though we were worried about the floor crumbling. But finally renovations started there the other day.
The resident dogs had to be moved to a temporary kennel to await completion of their home.




The room was completely reborn in about a week.
Will the senior dogs' quality of life be better now, and will their kennel be more comfortable for them?




These are the puppies in the evening.
After the daytime schedule has ended, the ARK dogs go to sleep.
The days are getting longer and it's still light even in the evening, so I was able to get this photo.
Quietly I take the picture, trying not to wake them...


The cold is easing and some dogs lie sprawled outside the kennels.



The ones who have been sick, Perrier and Cider, are better now!

Let's be patient until your "own family" comes to pick you up. You can go for walks with the staff members or volunteers, play and have sibling quarrels until then!

---

Postscript on June 1 (Tue)

Cider has found a new family!
Perrier, we wish you luck finding a family too!



★ Charity Party! ARK Pub Night in Kobe
Date: June 19 (Sat) 18:30-21:00
Place: Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club
http://www.krac.org/Home.html


★ Please join in our raffle!
This is a raffle to raise money for the ARK sanctuary building fund.

≫ EDIT

2010.05.25 Tue

5/23 (Sun) FIELD NOTE ARK Support Fair☆Report

This is a report on the ARK Support Fair held at FIELD NOTE on May 23rd (Sun) in Nara City.

Despite the horrible weather, with heavy rain and strong wind, the place was overflowing with visitors.
Usually we use the wonderful yard and the wooden deck area for these support fairs, but unfortunately, this time we were indoors. However, plenty of space was provided for us and the dogs were able to spend the day in comfort.



Pauline's friend had already been already rehomed, but so many people came to visit her on the day.
She's a popular dog. Who knew?

We thought she would be a bit anxious in this new environment, but she was quite relaxed and seemed to be enjoying herself.
She didn't cry or act up or get sick in the cage while going to and from the fair in the car. Maybe crate training works!

Spot is from the same family as Biwako and Free, who participated in the adoption event in Nishinomiya last week.
Spot is designated as a sponsor dog, but we thought "Let's give Spot a chance...” and decided to have Spot participate in the fair this time.
We had hoped that maybe someone would say, "We can't adopt him, but maybe we can be his sponsor..."



Spot had a rigid expression, was afraid during the first half of the fair and even tried to run away and hide, but gradually his expression softened and he started eating meals and snacks―even from the hands of our visitors.
If you were really afraid, Spot, you wouldn't be able to eat, would you?


Our selected team of puppies, Aquarius and Cressida also came along.
They're so full of energy.

Cressida was adopted the next day when her new family came to ARK.
Yay!



Prospective families have shown an interest in Sasuke, but somehow it hasn't worked out. Maybe participating in an adoption fair will bring him luck!!

Sasuke wasn't shy in showing off his friendly side. Let me introduce Sasuke's special skill. When he's repeatedly told to "wait," he sticks out the end of his tongue.
It's so cute that we ask him to "wait" just to see him do it.
(I guess this isn't really called a "special skill"...)



It's a fact that puppies are cute and tend to be the focus of everyone's attention, but this time, people expressed interest in the older dogs too, which made us happy.

Toys are everything to puppies.
The puppies were playfully pulling Sasuke and Pauline's leashes.
Sasuke and Pauline looked lovingly at the puppies when they did this, which made a good impression on our visitors.

When the puppies got a bit carried away and tugged on Pauline's tail, she would wrinkle up her muzzle to tell them it was against the rules.
The puppies understood this message.
ARK doggies are socialized so well.



Representing the smaller dogs was Milfy.
Although Milfy may not look it, he's a boy.
He's number one in his mind and when he's not being held or coddled, he cries out for attention. As a result, someone was always holding him. He was probably deeply loved and cared for by his previous owner. Being abandoned at the age of nine and suddenly having to live in a group situation is probably a difficult adjustment. We'd like him to find his very own family soon.


We held a quiz tournament, called the "Cat & Dog Test" but the questions were a little complicated and the accuracy rate was low, so we're sorry about that.
We should have done a yes or no quiz format so the children could enjoy it more.
That will be our task next time.
Those visitors who the prizes provided by FIELD NOTE were lucky!



Treasure is the mother of seven puppies.
Her puppies have all been adopted, but Treasure has missed her chance and four years have already passed.

The staff in charge of taking care of Treasure rave about her charms. She loves to be spoiled and to play and she has a very silly, yet active side to her. However, she's very shy and when someone she doesn't know peeks into the dog house, she hides, so it's difficult to show off her good side to potential new families.
On the day of the support fair, she was afraid at the beginning and stood transfixed, looking for a place to hide, but perhaps got tired of being scared, so gave up and ate food given to her by the visitors. She was able to relax even though she was surrounded by people.
There's no doubt that once Treasure has a place to call her own, she'll be a pleasure to everyone through her cute gestures and expressions.


No animals were rehomed today, but there were families that came to ARK from Nara and others who plan to come to ARK in the near future.




FIELD NOTE hosts these support fairs for ARK's animals every year in the spring and fall, and for that we are very grateful.

For the support day, stores such as Pain de' Cuisson, dyed goods TECK-TECK, leather goods crafter Ms. Noriko Sakata, woodworker Ms. Tomoko Miyauchi, and ceramic artist Ms. Rumiko Nakao of Atelier Sazani all donated a portion of their proceeds. We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for this.

For all those who came to the venue and for their generous donations as well as the items that people brought to us, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.


Thank you to those who brought their dogs that they had adopted from ARK. To be able to see them again and have such an enjoyable time makes us really look forward to these ARK support fairs.

We'd like to ask for your continued support and cooperation in ARK's activities as we try to save as many lives as possible.


★ Charity Party! ARK Pub Night in Kobe
Date: June 19 (Sat) 18:30-21:00
Place: Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club
http://www.krac.org/Home.html


★ Please join in our raffle!
This is a raffle to raise money for the ARK sanctuary building fund.

≫ EDIT

2010.05.20 Thu

Cause of Unknown Sickness Discovered

Well, what have we here?
It's Cider who's having an IV drip while being held in the arms of a staff member classifying data in the consultation room.
Are you sick again?
What happened this time?



“I feel sluggish since I taking the medicine... I can't bear it any longer...”

---

Four sisters were abandoned in front of ARK in the end of last year. Guinness and Shandy found new homes, but Perrier and Cider are still at ARK waiting for adoptive families.
These sisters often got sick and the cause was unknown.


After finding a parasite on a dog in same enclosure, we gave medicine to Perrier and Cider but they had side effects from it.
This allowed us to find out the cause of the unknown sickness.
It turned out to be a genetic reaction to an antibiotic called sulfa.
It was in the medicine we used when they were spayed and also in the medicine that we used this time.


Now that we know the cause we are able to explain to potential adoptive families, which means they have a better chance than before.
There's nothing to worry about as long as their adoptive family tells the vet that she reacts badly to sulfa.
Even though we found out the cause, they still don't feel well yet and they have to continue treatment. I feel sad when I see them sick.
I wish I could feel sluggish instead.
Cider is getting better but Perrier isn't yet.
I hope they get well soon...! Please...



★ Charity Party! ARK Pub Night in Kobe
Date: June 19 (Sat) 18:30-21:00
Place: Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club
http://www.krac.org/Home.html


★ Please join in our raffle!
This is a raffle to raise money for the ARK sanctuary building fund.

≫ EDIT

2010.05.18 Tue

5/16 (Sun) KENKEN CLUB Adoption Event Report

An adoption fair was held in a borrowed classroom at KENKEN CLUB in Nishinomiya City on May 16.


This is Twilight, who came down from ARK.
He is from Awaji Island, so his nickname is Awaji-kun.
He was gentle with small children, didn't focus on Chess, the cat who was also there, and was very polite to everyone, young and old, male and female. We feel sure he would do well in any kind of family. Our one worry is that he may not be good at staying home alone. When he was in the cage in the car or separated from everyone he became anxious and whimpered. When his original rescuer left him up alone, he apparently chewed on things. But it's okay. He will be fine in a home where he doesn't have to stay alone much or where they have a good garden for him to stay in.



Biwako is one of 22 dogs who were left in cages on the banks of Lake Biwa in all types of weather. She was shy and frightful, and we thought it would be difficult to rehome her. She has been at ARK for more than 6 years. Maybe this is the first time Biwako has left ARK in 6 years. Normally at ARK, if a person she doesn't know walks by her enclosure, she and her sister Flea panic and howl, so we expected her to get scared and run away and bark and panic today, and took precautions. But we were all surprised by how calm she was! And impressed! Even though she was in a new place she actively explored it and remained calm.

Seeing her that way was enough to make me think, "I'm glad we brought her!" However, although she usually eats a lot, she wasn't able to eat from guests' hands, and she stayed standing the whole time except when held by the staff. At the end, she was dozing off while still standing.



Free, Biwako's sister, was even calmer than Biwako. Surrounded by guests, her expression was tense at first but it relaxed more and more, and she was able to walk around the room. What was even more surprising was that Free, who normally doesn't eat much, ate food and treats from the hands of the guests! We were very impressed!

Another touching scene was the reunion of siblings separated for a month and a half. Rex came to visit. Everyone who saw the three siblings catching up with each other got a warm feeling in their hearts.

But Rex soon went back to his own family. He doesn't need Biwako and Free anymore. He has found his own place. Together with his family, Rex looked more peaceful than we had ever seen him.

Biwako and Free are frightful and shy, but I felt I should find them families that will accept and love them even with those flaws, like Rex. We mustn't give up!



Old Man Chess has been at ARK almost 9 years. He has a distinct character and is popular with the staff, but hasn't had any luck being adopted. I was worried whether Chess, who has lived at ARK so long, would be able to act like himself and display his charms in a new place, but he ate and rubbed against guests and kissed small children. And he was even able to pee while everyone was watching. (He is the first cat to do that at an adoption fair.) He goes at his own pace and everyone liked him.

Few people applied to adopt, but a lot of information that could lead to opportunities was exchanged, and it was a good experience for Awaji-kun, Biwako-chan, Flea-chan, and Chess.
We'll continue looking for adopters at ARK!


★ Charity Party! ARK Pub Night in Kobe
Date: June 19 (Sat) 18:30-21:00
Place: Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club
http://www.krac.org/Home.html


★ Please join in our raffle!
This is a raffle to raise money for the ARK sanctuary building fund.

≫ EDIT

2010.05.11 Tue

Who Will be Rehomed First?!

One day there was a dog tied up in a park.
Night passed, and when the morning came no one had come for the dog.
The dog had spent the night at the park.
There was a person who was concerned about the dog so he came to the park at night and in the morning to check on the dog.
The dog was just sitting still paying no attention to the person who came to check on him. He didn't seem threatening but showed no signs of happiness at seeing the person.



The dog was named Night when he came to ARK.

We do not know what happened to him, only the person who abandoned him knows.
All we know is that he is scared, frightened, confused, and hurt.
All we could do is to be there for him silently, waiting for him to come out of his traumatized state.



Through his daily routine, Night started to warm up to the staff.
He started to become more affectionate, started to show emotions, joy, and started to ask to play together with them.
He was a very good dog with such a warm smile.



However, he is not good at the vet, firmly refusing to wear an Elizabeth collar after neutering.
He will have to pay some visits to the vet after he is adopted so we have trained him to wear a muzzle for visits to the vet.
The staff are working with Night to overcome his dislikes so that he will be able to get a second chance at life.



“Hey! Excuse me!! Why is Night getting all your attention, look at me too! All my roommates have found a new home and I am getting sick of sending them off and saying goodbye! Night will soon leave here for his new home too!



Agh, Pauline! You scared me!

Yes, we know, I'm sorry sweet Pauline.
But you know what, we were starting to say that it is a jinx, "if you are paired up with Pauline, luck will come to you and you will find a new home.".....

Where is Pauline's Red Thread...? We have been waiting for a long time, haven't we?

≫ EDIT

2010.05.05 Wed

Everybody be Happy!

Hey everyone, how did you spend your Golden Week?


At ARK, our goats left the nest! Males Tricks and Acrobat, female Notty (aka Takako) and her kids Peter and Heidi, making a total of 5 goats, found someone willing to adopt them.

The staff had worked really hard to take care of the goats, so we felt a little conflicted when they left; a little sad and a little happy, but the adopter has experience taking care of goats and their enclosure was quite nice, so we felt safe sending them off.

I think they’ll be happy in their new home.



During ARK's Golden Week, we were able to send lots of animals off to new families.

So it was really a "golden week"!!

And while we were really happy about all the send offs, we took in a lot of animals too.

Let's try really hard to give as many animals as we can a second chance!