WAJIMA, Ishikawa Prefecture–In the areas devastated by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, cats cower in buildings marked with purple “danger” tags and wander by means of the rubble of collapsed homes.
One native couple has taken it upon themselves to seek for and shield these “disaster-stricken cats” which have nowhere to go.
Kohei Kirimoto, 31, a lacquer craftsman, and his spouse, Mone, 27, have been residing on the Wajima Asaichi market. Their home and workshop collapsed throughout the quake after which burned fully within the subsequent fireplace.
The couple, who have been making their New Year’s go to to a shrine on the time, have been safe–but their three cats have been lacking.
The two have been going to the realm across the morning market day by day following the earthquake to seek for their felines.
Twice a day, within the morning and within the night, when cats are normally on the transfer, they name their cats’ names across the ruins of their home.
The couple’s story unfold by means of word-of-mouth and social media. Soon, catastrophe victims on the lookout for their very own lacking cats started to contact them.
Kirimoto was involved that some elderly individuals have been hesitant to depart shelters and transfer to secondary evacuation areas as a result of they have been ready for their lacking cats to return.
Using the Line app, he began sharing info on the place cats had been seen, and taught those that needed to seek for their cats themselves learn how to arrange traps.
By Jan. 27, 26 cats had been captured, and 14 of these had been efficiently reunited with their homeowners.
Kirimoto is now additionally briefly sheltering cats whose homeowners can’t be discovered or who can not return to their homeowners because of the catastrophe.
An organization offered a container home outfitted with electrical energy from photo voltaic panels to help these cat rescue efforts. The home is ready up close to the evacuation web site the place Kirimoto is staying. About eight felines are saved there at any given time.
Kirimoto is sheltering a neighborhood cat, Chii-chan, who was an idol on the morning market. Some individuals have provided to take Chii-chan in as soon as they will transfer out of the shelter.
Kirimoto has not been in a position to resume his business since his lacquer and work instruments have been burned within the fireplace.
“We have a lot of expenses, including the cost of feeding them,” Kirimoto mentioned.
He mentioned he needs the federal government to maintain these pets, even briefly.
“But I can’t say anything because (government officials) are busy dealing with evacuees, restoring infrastructure and searching for missing persons.”
On Jan. 19, the stays of Gura, one of many couple’s lacking three cats, have been present in a police search.
“We are sad about Gura, but the other two may be alive,” Kirimoto said. “We will continue to search as long as we can.”
