[ RadSafe ] Fukushima Exclusion Zone Update: 5-hr. Visits Allowed, Euthanizing Begins

[RRGWNYEnviro at aol.com]

_http://www.globalanimal.org/2011/04/29/fukushima-exclusion-zone-update-5-hr
-visits-allowed-euthanizing-begins/38547/_ 
(http://www.globalanimal.org/2011/04/29/fukushima-exclusion-zone-update-5-hr-visits-allowed-euthanizing-begin
s/38547/) 
Fukushima Exclusion Zone Update: 5-hr. Visits Allowed, Euthanizing Begins
   
A dog found in the no-entry zone near the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear 
Power Plant is pictured on April 28, 2011. (Mainichi)
Global Animal 
April 29, 2011 – _JAPAN_ (http://www.globalanimal.org/tag/japan/)  (_ANIMAL 
RESCUE_ (http://www.globalanimal.org/tag/animal-rescue/) ) – Both the 
Japanese federal government and Fukushima Prefecture officials announced new, but 
incomplete, action plans yesterday concerning the pets and farm animals 
left behind in the 20-kilometer radiation evacuation zone. The Japanese Prime 
Minister announced that evacuees of Fukushima’s exclusion zone may return to 
the area for up to five hours. The visits will begin after the Golden Week 
holidays and continue through early May. 
The five-hour limit is an improvement from last Thursday’s announcement of 
two-hour access, which also had numerous conditions attached. However, 
according to All Headline News, officials are still discussing whether people can 
take their pets out. (Please consider _signing the letter _ 
(https://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment_ssl.html) below to the Prime Minister to 
allow evacuation of animals.) 
As of Monday, the Fukushima Prefectural Government began taking custody of 
pets around Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, according to Mainichi News. 
The initiative is based on the Rabies Prevention Act and mainly covers 
stray and unconfined dogs. Whether to take chained dogs, _cats_ 
(http://www.globalanimal.org/tag/cats/)  and other animals will be decided by veterinarians 
after examining their health. A team of 11 workers, including seven 
veterinarians, are testing animals for radiation exposure on the spot. 
The prefectural government says it will post information to identify pets 
on its website. Officials also said it will not kill the animals but will try 
to find new homes if their original guardians fail to show up during a 
certain period of time. Yesterday, the vets removed five dogs and one cat, all 
of whom had nearly non-existent radiation exposure levels. Let’s hope the 
efforts can ramp up significantly to pull many more pets from the approximately 
12-mile zone. 
Sadly, Fukushima officials have been culling farm animals who are said to 
be near death since last Thursday. 
Dying cow in Japan's Evacuation Zone. ( Hinapopu video)
_http://www.globalanimal.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Dying-Cow-In-Japans-
Evacuation-zone.jpg_ 
(http://www.globalanimal.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Dying-Cow-In-Japans-Evacuation-zone.jpg)