KUMAMOTO, Japan - When a powerful earthquake jolted southern Japan this week, rattling homes and knocking out water and electricity, Tomoko Takaoka bundled up her beloved fluffy dogs and went in search of a safe place to stay.
Unable to reach her parents, Takaoka, a 31-year-old factory worker, turned to a nearby evacuation centre only to discover that her chihuahua, Ku, and chihuahua-poodle mix, Sheri, were not welcome.
Faced with the choice of sheltering without them or staying together, she chose the latter, spending the first sweltering night crammed into her car with her canine family.
Eventually, social media posts led her to Ryunosuke Animal Hospital in downtown Kumamoto, which had converted classrooms in its veterinary nurse training school into temporary housing for evacuees, with separate rooms for owners of cats and dogs.
"During disasters it's only natural for dogs and cats to stay together with their families. But people who don't own pets don't necessarily want to be with them," said hospital director Ryunosuke Tokuda.
"They worry about fleas, odours, allergies, and noise. Pets are often viewed negatively, which is why many evacuation shelters often don't allow people and pets to stay together," he added.
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The hospital learned that lesson the hard way after the devastating Kumamoto earthquake in 2016. Since then, it has made a point of opening its doors to evacuees with pets whenever disaster strikes.
Its doors immediately opened again after Tuesday's (July 28) quake, which has claimed at least 36 lives and left thousands without power and running water, although services are slowly being restored.
Clutching Ku and Sheri inside a tent set up at the hospital, Takaoka was among 26 evacuees and their pets sheltering there when Reuters visited earlier this week.
Her dogs occasionally get excited when they encounter new "friends" in the shelter's designated dog room, Takaoka said, but she does her best to calm them. She hopes she can return home soon, but more than anything, she's just happy they are together.
"They're just like family to me. I'd like to stay with them as much as possible," she said.
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