Request : Audit of the Funds Distributed by the Headquarters for the Relief of Animals in Emergencies

May 10, 2013
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To The Prime Minister of Japan, the Board of Audit, Cabinet Office, Cabinet Legislation Bureau, Cabinet Secretariat, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Justice, Consumer Agency
Coalition of FB Sites for the Rescue of Animals in the Fukushima No-Go Zone formally requests an investigation into the distribution practices of the Headquarters for the Relief of Animals in Emergencies. There is no doubt that various organizations that received money cannot show how that money was spent on “RELIEF of DISASTER ANIMALS”.

The money was received and nothing can be shown that the money was used for the purpose that it was received. All organizations that received money from “charitable” distributions are responsible for accounting for how the money was used.  A review of many of these pages shows NOTHING.

Listed below are the some of the Organizations that our Coalition request audits. Valid use of charity money should be shown by these organizations, for the public to see, with invoices showing how and where money was spent for the relief of disaster animals.  Japanese Veterinarian Associations collected funds from the Headquarters for Relief of Animals in Emergencies and then collected again under the “guise” of their newly created “ Disaster Animal Rescue Headquarters.

If the donated money cannot be shown to have been used for the purpose that it was given, we request that charity money be returned, in full, to the Headquarters for the Relief of Animals in Emergencies and donated to NON-GOVERNMENT Associated Animal Relief Organizations to receive that are currently helping the Fukushima Left Behind Pets, cats and dogs. This is clearly an indication of “misappropriation” of funds. There are organizations on the distribution of funds list that have NEVER shown how the money was used to help “disaster” animals.  The same for donations of food and other animal relief items.  There has been nothing shown about what was received and where it went.  How is this being responsible for items that were donated to be used for a specific purpose?

The Government of Japan is responsible for showing exactly what was received, where the charitable money or goods went, and how they were used.   The Headquarters for the Relief of Animals in Emergencies was created by the Government to manage donated animal disaster funds and materials.  It has not done a very good job but it is still the responsibility of this Government to account for this.  It is not good policy for any government to receive materials and money for a disaster and then not show that the items were used for what they were given.  Please do an audit and make the funding public.
1. Iwate Prefecture disaster animal rescue headquarters was created March 22, 2011 by the Institute of Iwate
Prefecture Veterinary Medical Association.

a.)  Iwate Prefecture Veterinary Medical Association received a total of 4,500,000 yen ($45,436).
b.)  Iwate Prefecture Disaster Animal Rescue Headquarters created by the Iwate Prefecture Veterinary
Medical  Association received a total of 11,000,000 yen ($111,067).
c.)  A total of 15,500,000 yen ($156,500) received but no account of how the money was used.  The
Iwate Prefecture Veterinary Medical Association closed the Headquarters August 2011.
d.)  Headquarters for the Relief of Animals in Emergencies duties : Conducted information gathering
and coordination, etc. – consultations.  http://doubutsukyuen.org/main/index.php/about

2.  Miyagi Prefecture emergency disaster stricken animal rescue headquarters created March 8,2011 by the
Institute of Miyagi Veterinary Medical Association.

a.)  Miyagi Veterinary Medical Association received 3,000,000 yen ($30,290).
b.)  Miyagi Prefecture emergency disaster stricken animal rescue headquarters created by the Miyagi
Veterinary Medical Association received 42,000,000 yen ($424,000).
c.)  A total of 45,000,000 yen ($454,360) received but no account of how the money was used.  The
Miyagi Veterinary Medical Association closed the headquarters February 2012.
d.)  Headquarters for the Relief of Animals in Emergencies duties : Conducted information gathering
and coordination, etc. – consultations.  http://doubutsukyuen.org/main/index.php/about

3.  Iwaki animal relief headquarters was created by the Institute of Fukushima Veterinary Medical Association
Iwaki branch.

a.)  A total of 12,000,000 yen ($121,164) received but no account of how money was used.

4.  Sendai disaster animal rescue headquarters was created March 25, 2011 by the Institute of Sendai Veterinary
Medical Association.

a.)  Institute of Sendai Veterinary Medical Association received 1,500,000 yen ($15,100).
b.)  Sendai disaster animal rescue headquarter created by the Sendai Veterinary Medical Association
received 13,000,000 yen ($131,200).
c.)  A total of 14,500,000 yen ($146,000) received but no account of how money was used.  The
Sendai Veterinary  Medical Association closed this headquarters July 2011.

5.  Townships Receiving Charitable Funds: No information found for how money was used.

a.)  Fukushima Kawauchi village received 5,875,000 yen ($59,300).  No information found.
b.)  Tomioka town, Fukushima Prefecture received 9,530,000 yen ($96,200). No information found.

6.  Institute of Tochigi Veterinary Medical Association received 1,000,000 yen ($10,000).
7.  Shizuoka Institute of Veterinary Medical Association 500,000 yen ($5,000).
8.  (NPO) Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies 500,000 yen ($5,000)
9.  Applied Animal Behavior Society mission team 7,500,000 yen ($75,000)
10. Wildlife Volunteer Center 1,500,000 yen ($15,000)
11. Ito Veterinary Medical Association 3,000,000 yen ($30,000)

$6 million+ used by the Government of Japan to help “veterinarians” retain skills that might be lost from the livestock deaths….. Given MAY 2, 2011. But nothing about pet disaster relief.

May 10, 2013

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$6 million+ used by the Government of Japan to help “veterinarians” retain skills that might be lost from the livestock deaths….. Given MAY 2, 2011. But nothing about pet disaster relief.

3. Fiscal year budget 2011

Supplementary budget for FY2011 [farmer business resumption of aid and financial support, etc.] [5/2]

*(This is MAY 2, 2011 before the official start of the pet rescue, but after the survey of livestock was taken by the Veterinarians.)

“Support training to maintain skills and smooth processing of livestock died in the disaster area, veterinarians and related industry workers and recovery efforts [stricken livestock smooth processing and related industries support projects: 649 million yen or $6,552,953.”

*(Please notice the Japanese Veterinarians are again benefitting by this money and it was not to help the surviving livestock by giving them food or water.)

http://www.maff.go.jp/j/press/seisan/c_suisin/110513.html

There was nothing about Fukushima Disaster Animals/ Fukushima Left Behind Animals.


Note to the Government of Japan re: JVMA response and the issue of responsibility

May 10, 2013
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Mr. Prime Minister of Japan,
Recently, this Coalition contacted Yoshihisa YAMANE, President, Japan Veterinary Medical Association : Apr 25,2013 concerning questions about the Fukushima Left Behind Animals.  We also sent you a “courtesy” copy of this message.  Basically we asked:

“One of our primary questions is about the Decontamination effort by the Government of Japan.  Is the JVMA currently working or has worked with the Government of Japan to formulate plans regarding the remaining Fukushima pets, left at their homes by their owners?  How will the animals be handled when the home that they live is decontaminated?  Where will that animal be held while as it is also decontaminated, washed,etc, per recommendations for cleaning animals exposed to radioactive particles? We can find no information posted about this issue.

Since the JVMA and all associated veterinary organizations have not issued any statements about allowing pets to remain in a low level area of radioactive contamination, are we to assume then, that the cats and dogs that have remained at their owners homes will not have any severe health issues, other than the usual parasites that are common with outdoor animals. Could you please clarify that for us?

Does the JVMA plan to initate another round of pet protection?  We have seen that there are many non-feral cats that remain in the restricted areas.  Also, there were dogs that were still at homes in the areas that would become closed; could you please let us know where they have been relocated?  We could not find any information about their relocation and how they are doing in their new surroundings.

We understand that veterinarians are participating in TNR activities.  Could you please let us know how that is handled?  If the animal undergoes TNR, how long is it held before release since surgical procedures, even minor, should be monitored for signs of infection.  We could not find any information that discloses this information about the on-going TNR activities in the Fukushima evacuated areas.”

The reason we contacted Mr. Yamane was because the JVMA is also one of the core organizations that comprise the Headquarters for the relief of Animals in Emergencies.  And, the site also says “緊急災害時動物救援本部は、各地の行政や獣医師会等と連携を取りながら救援活動を行っており、各獣医師会・行政を通じて、支援物資や義援金などの提供をしています”
To our surprise, we received a response from the Japan Veterinary Medical Association that said :

From: ask (ask@nichiju.or.jp) 4/26/13
The activities of animal aid in Fukushima have been carried on by
Headquarter of Animal Aid Fukushima.
Fukushima Veterinary Association is a member of the HQ and JVMA has supported their activities.
Their web site is as follows.
http://www.fuku-kyugo-honbu.org/
Please contact them. I recommend you that the contact should be in Japanese.
Thank you.

(The original e-mail can be forwarded for review, but we weren’t sure what e-mail address to use.)
If we understand this message correctly, it is the Fukushima Headquarters for Animal Aid, http://www.fuku-kyugo-honbu.org, NOT the JVMA or Government of Japan that is RESPONSIBLE for the remaining Fukushima Left Behind Animals. Is this correct?  We just need to know who is the actual person in charge for care and removal of the Remaining Fukushima Left Behind pets.  Are they the people that are still trying to find the 330 pets that owners have requested help finding?  (330名が保護の継続を要望した。 :http://www.env.go.jp/press/press.php?serial=16287)
Also, from the message that we received from the JVMA, we understand that the JVMA is not responsible and would not be doing any work in the Fukushima evacuated/abandoned zone.  And, it seems that no other Veterinary association is doing any work in the FUkushima evacuated/abandoned zone except for the Fukushima Headquarters for Animal Aid.  Please let us know if this is correct?  And, does this mean that the National Government, prefecture government, local government are not involved with the Fukushima Headquarters for Animal Aid?  We are not the only International group that is confused about who is responsible for helping the remaining pet animals, dogs and cats.  Also, there is no e-mail contact.  How can we contact individuals with questions?  If there is one, could you please provide one for International users to be able to get information since this is the only “authorized” organization that is helping animals?
In advance,  thank you for any information that you can provide to us concerning our questions and confusion about certain issues.  We look forward to any assistance in helping us to understand.
We are the Coalition of FB Sites for the Rescue of Animals in the Fukushima No-Go Zone, a group concerned about the remaining FUkushima animals.  Our members are from 96 different countries, 328 different Facebook pages/organization that have a combined membership of 2,000,000+.