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Officials close Tokyo pet shop for poor practices in 1st such case

33 Comments

A pet shop in Tokyo has been ordered to close for one month for not maintaining a clean and safe environment for animals. It is the first time for such an order to be issued by the Tokyo metropolitan government.

The Papillon Tropical Fish shop located in Akishima City was ordered closed on Tuesday, Fuji TV reported. According to reports, the size of the shop had been inadequate for housing the number of dogs and cats it had at any given time and the shop owners forced the animals into cages and areas far too small for them to be able to move around with any freedom. The unsanitary conditions of the space also made it not only a health hazard for the animals, but for customers as well.

City officials captured photographic evidence of the shop's conditions during an investigative visit last year. The photographs showed not only the poor conditions inside the establishment, but also a row of dirty cages in front of the store that were filled with so many birds that the animals could not move.

Since the store opened, over 100 complaints regarding the horrible smell in and around the store have been filed with the city. Even after city officials went into the shop and spoke with management 34 times to discuss improving the conditions, nothing was done by the store owner.

At the time of the cease and desist order, the shop housed 15 dogs and over 200 birds.

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33 Comments
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All about making money. No regard for the animals. Also any patrons of such a shop should share embarrassment for overlooking the disregard for the lives of the animals.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

One down....how many countless others to go! It bugs me to no end the inhumane treatment these "pets" get here in Japan.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

I hope they start to investigate all pet shops as well as their source of animals.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

The equally disgusting element of this tale of animal abuse is the fact that the govt officials went there 34 times and there requests were ignored.

So the city actually contributed to the suffering of the animals by not promptly closing down the hell hole.

Once warned is lenient, twice warned is on the verge and 3 times is definitely out. But not here. One can only suspect (suspect I say) he had yakuza connections, because historically many shady characters have been involved in the "animmal trade".

As much as I don't like the booming pet shop industry, at least the modern stores I have seen are spacious, bright, clean and have caring staff. How such an abommination as the Tokyo shop remained needs further investigation.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Adopt, don't shop.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Nice that they recognized this and took care of it. Hopefully they will continue with other pet shops as well.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I passed by this pet shop several times, the first time was in 2011. I was so shocked. Dogs were tied to the fence just a meter away from the street. Dirty cages with birds everywhere. It was horrible and had to so something. I contacted the Japan Animal Welfare Society but never received an answer. ... What a shame it took them so long! It makes me extremely angry and speechless.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

It's a disgrace the authorities didn't close it down after 2 or 3 warnings. Absolutely useless.

And never buy animals from a pet shop. If you want to look after a cat or dog, make sure you're responsible enough and have time and then look for the animal shelters.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Have kids...they are far more important than some cultured beasts.

They go together. There is nothing more beautiful than watching a child and his dog grow up together. It doesn't have to be a 'cultured beast' or a 'pricey pet'. Most of our dogs, and both of our cats, have been rescues, and they have enhanced our family, adults and kids alike, and now grandkids too, more than any amount of money ever could.

And from what I saw of this establishment on the telly last night, I doubt anyone shopping there would be in search of a 'pricey' pet. It was a pretty nasty, disgusting hovel.

If you say you don't get enough affection from your family, you are doing it wrong.

No, you're the one getting it wrong. Pets are not so much for getting affection from as giving affection to. Why not give affection to a child instead? I hear you say and to that I counter, Why not give affection to both? If you don't have enough affection for both, you are doing it wrong.

I do agree though that pet shops that allow anyone with the ready dough to walk out of the shop with any puppy or kitten they want should not be allowed to operate. They are nothing but outlets for puppy mills. Get your pet either from a reputable breeder, adopt from a shelter or take in a stray.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Japan Yesterday - you could look here

http://www.satoya-boshu.net/keisai/d.htm

4 ( +4 / -0 )

34 times??? What took them so long? They didn't realize that after warning them for the first 4 or 5 times without results that something was wrong? Or maybe after the 10th time? Or the 20th? Shame on the city for being so pathetic and spineless. It doesn't even feel right to commend them after hearing how long it took them to get off their asses and do something.

There are plenty of great pets in shelters that need homes. Even if you buy these cute tiny pets, they are going to grow up to the size of the animals in shelters in a short amount of time. Quit feeding the demand!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

This suspension order is only valid for a one month period. Meanwhile, what's going to happen to the pets?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Puppy mills and filthy, crowded dumps. What a way to treat living creatures.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Put this guy in a cage for 30 days

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Have kids...they are far more important than some cultured beasts.

This kind of thinking is off the mark, kids are not pets and should not even be equated as such.

Agree with the pet store statement, get your pet from the shelter, but remember that getting a pet is a 10 to 20 or more year commitment.

Done right, both kids and pets together are a joy!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I get that there are bad pet shops, like this particular one, but it's extremely narrow-minded to lump them all together. Yes, it's definitely preferable to get a puppy or kitten from a good breeder or to adopt one from a rescue association (as I have also done). But for C'ssake, get off the anti-every-pet-shop rants!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

or to adopt one from a rescue association (as I have also done)

Frederic, do you have any information on some good rescue associations in Tokyo? I'm interested in adopting an animal.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japan Yesterday -

Another place to look:

https://japancatnetwork.org/pets/list/1

(They also have dogs.)

I have a cat they DELIVERED to me in Chiba-ken from their Hikone shelter! (One of their volunteers lives about 20 km from me.)

or here:

(dogs and cats)

http://www.arkbark.net/?q=en/node/77

http://www.arkbark.net/?q=en/node/75

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I wonder if anyone's been called in for the "pet shop" under the train tracks just north of Shinjuku Station?

Also, I assume all of those animals from Akishima will just be relocated and destroyed after a brief and terrifying stint in a Japanese shelter.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The hole-in-the-wall inner-city pet shops are the ones that have to go. The horrible stench and cage conditions make me sick when I enter. Plus I see animals that you'd only see in a zoo in most countries. I have no complaints though about the suburban pet shops that they have in shopping malls and DIY shops as there seems to be adequate spacing and the animals are let out to get some exercise as they do in pet shops in most other countries.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

1st such case that they've actually looked into. Even the zoos house animals in shocking conditions...

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@JapanYesterday, yes, one association that I'm familiar with is chibawan.net

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So much for 3 strikes your out! Poor animals. 100 complaints and 34 warnings!!! But they continued to operate. Someone is not doing their job!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I booked marked them Chikuyokei. Thanks a bunch!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yay! Precedent established. I wonder what happened to the poor animals?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I wonder what happened to the poor animals?

My bet is they got the death penalty. That will help you understand why I hesitate to cheer for the government taking action.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

OK I call this a START! A very late one.............but after a month then what..............I don't even wanna think about it.

Clearly this shop should be PERMANENTLY closed the owner fined & possible JAILED!!!

Come on Japan get your %$#% together!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

34 times? SERIOUSLY? Useless people everywhere!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I know about a hundred others that are shocking....

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Seriously, 34 times? The city officials are just as culpable for not closing them down on the 3rd visit!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I'm still amazed that a self-proclaimed "developed" nation as Japan can still have cats, dogs and other large/"intelligent" animals for sale, plus the ignorance of Japanese people as to what happens to the "cute kittens/puppies" when they get older and unsold.

I've asked them what happens to food in restaurants when it's old or bad, and seeing them join the dots and the looks on their faces when they work it out is at least one step closer to improving the lack of care that Japan extends to animals.

However, considering that advised women have hardly any centres for help, or that Japan hardly let's in asylum victims, it's no wonder that animals are mistreated in zoos, dolphins and whales are slaughtered for no reason, etc when they can't even show kindness and help to human beings...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Advised=abused

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Pet stores should not exist in first place, period. Don't buy your "affection" from "commodity" animals. Have kids...they are far more important than some cultured beasts. If you need your pet so you can play "Fetch", change your hobby. Raise Kids...adopt if you cannot have. That will stop this idiotic demand of pricy pets, which causes greed, and these types of shops. If you say you don't get enough affection from your family, you are doing it wrong. You don't need a four legged creature to provide you affection. This is not middle age, where you need a dog to guard.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

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