Some good news on the Japan animal rescue front as a follow-up to today’s previous post: The government as decided to let people go into the restricted zone and retrieve their pets!

This is a note on Japan Animal and Rescue Support’s Facebook page, a translated version of a Japanese Yahoo news story posted today:

“Fukushima No. 1 Reactor Accident: Pets will be rescued in conjunction with the temporary return of people to their homes

Fuji TV News Network, May 10 (Tuesday), broadcast at 12:31 a.m. JST

A decision has been made to allow people to bring their cats, dogs, and other pets back out when they return to their homes within the 20 kilometer exclusion zone surrounding the No. 1 Fukushima reactor temporarily from May 10th, onward.

There have been strong demands from citizens for the rescue of pets from the start and the decision to implement this in conjunction with the temporary returns home that will begin on May 9 or 10th was made after much coordination.

This will be implemented in nine cities and towns, including Tamura and Minami Soma City. The Ministry of the Environment and Fukushima Prefecture will work together in teams with two vehicles to conduct an orderly rescue of pets that have been tied to ropes within the grounds of homes, either on the same day or the next day after residents return home temporarily.

A decision has also been made to transfer pigs being raised in Minami Soma City within the exclusion zone to a Tokyo University affiliated farm in

Ibaraki Prefecture. The transfer is projected for May 10th, at the earliest.”

Link to original Japan animal rescue news story (in Japanese): http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/fnn?a=20110510-00000063-fnn-soci