Bold black Kampei and his more reserved counterpart, the ginger Sushiro, came from totally different backgrounds and different parts of Japan. However, they are now an unstoppable pair.
Three-year-old Sushiro was rescued from a Gunma hoarder and, having received very little attention, was so timid that he spent his early days at ARK hiding. But Kampei, an abandoned Osakan orphan about 2 years old, started to work his magic on Sushiro the moment they met.
Soon, shy Sushiro was asking to be picked up and started craving the attention he had never had. He is now in love with a good lap to snuggle up in. Kampei is truly fearless and despite looking like a panther he doesn’t have the agility of one. He is quite the socialite, chatty and always eager to get involved. Just like Sushiro, he is also an avid fan of laps.
Weird and wonderful, this duo would be a hit in any home.
Valiant found his courage and now needs a home
Six-year-old Valiant was rescued as a puppy from the wilds of Gifu Prefecture. Wild in that he came from a place where the dogs pretty much had to fend for themselves. His senile owner had little idea of how many animals were roaming around his property, and even less about any of the dogs in particular.
With danger and uncertainty all about, Valiant was a very fearful puppy. In the years since, however, he has learned that it is possible to have trust in people and in his surroundings. Valiant is now more confident and his sweet nature has blossomed because of it.
A strong dog, he loves walks and dog runs, but is still wary around crowds of people or cars. He knows the instructions “sit,” “down” and “high five,” but his favorite is “give me a kiss.” It’ll melt your heart. Brushing will melt his.
Valiant has learned to trust, and now we’re hoping he can finally have the love and attention only a proper home can provide.
Mimosa and Pina are a pair of entertaining cats
Rescue is nearly always a concerted effort in animal welfare, but the compassion and hope that saved these two cats came from some of its first-chair members.
The spring flood of kittens last year had gas chambers packed, but Heart Tokushima’s Susan Mercer pulled these two lucky ladies out in the desperate hope she could find other groups to take them. ARK answered the call for help, and four kittens came to Tokyo.
In the hopes that they would complement each other, Mercer had paired the colorful, friendly Mimosa (born in May) with the shy, black Pina, one month her senior. Due to earlier colds and the pandemic, the young ladies have had little exposure to prospective parents — but they are a dynamic duo.
“Mimosa is bouncy and forward, and adores people, cats, toys or whatever is at hand,” say ARK staffers. Though Pina was timid at first, she has blossomed into her own, with a rich purr that allows full expression of her deeply affectionate nature.
Though their wild antics may be more at home in a circus than an orchestra hall, these two are nonetheless “an incredibly entertaining pair.” They are sure to bring the house down.
Nao the dog makes for delightful company
Nao is a sweet little lady in Tokyo who, at the age of 14, is hoping to get a chance at more of a life than she has had.
For many years, Nao lived with an elderly woman whose caring was limited to giving the dog food. She didn’t take her on walks, she never saw to her medical care, and Nao was given no affection. When her situation came to the attention of a kindly British woman and then to the staff at ARK, her owner was happy to give the dog up.
Nao was in very bad shape at the time — horribly infested and her fur falling out in handfuls. She had almost “no visible musculature,” but that has is all changing. Now with a coat that has been shaved and is growing in nicely, she is gaining weight (up to 16 kilograms when last checked) and getting out into the fresh air for walks under open skies.
This change shows a lot of bravery and progress on her behalf. She is still a little bit nervous when touched, but she loves being near people and loves to eat. She is a gentle and healthy, fine with cats and other dogs, and she’s hoping for a home ... a real home.
Toi is a wonderful cat you'll love to play with
Toi came to ARK in June 2014. He’d been found abandoned in a box with his mother, who was fiercely guarding her kittens. It has been quite some years since then and, most likely to due to his timid nature, Toi has never found a home.
We’re hoping “never” can be a thing of the past, though, and that the Year of the Tiger will be Toi’s time to roar ... in his own quiet way. There isn’t an ounce of aggressiveness in him. He allows his nails to be trimmed and his ears to be cleaned without putting up any fuss, and is far more comfortable with humans than before. He’s a good big brother to the newcomers, and really does want to get closer to people, but the shelter’s ruckus and general unease don’t help.
That doesn’t stop Toi from trying to get this message across though, and sometimes his purr is so loud you can hear it from a distance. Toi is handsome and has a heart of gold. All he needs is a home.
This dog is Safe, but he's not yet home
You may think Safe the dog gets his name from a sense of security. Unfortunately, his origin story provides a different explanation.
A safe is where this guy was kept —in a state of extreme neglect in an actual vault in a building. He was rarely fed, and in late November the owner, likely prompted by complaints, brought Safe and two other dogs to ARK. It was an act that most likely saved their lives as they were down to bare bones.
Safe is believed to be 10 years old, but he could be younger. Now weighing in at around 15 kilograms, he has filled out considerably.
Built like a Hokkaido breed or a solid Shiba, Safe is sprightly and calm and surprisingly friendly. He rarely barks and isn’t aggressive. Intelligent and trainable, Safe is very happy around people, and he’s the perfect size for those who like big dogs but need something a bit smaller. Smart, quiet, healthy, a great size — Safe gets a 10 out of 10 for being the perfect dog.
A one-eyed cat finds his perfect match and a new best friend in Osaka
A hefty, yet handsome, one-eyed cat, Botamochi lost his home in mid 2020 and was first featured here in the Adopt Me! section a few months later.
Fortunately, the search for a new home didn’t take long, as only a few months later the Sato family of Osaka scooped this gem up after they lost one of their other two cats.
Now rechristened Popo, Botamochi is the third cat from ARK that the Satos have picked up.
“We found Popo when we went looking for a friend for Tama,” says father Shintaro, in reference to the family’s other cat. “We heard there hadn’t been much interest in Popo so we decided to adopt.”
The family’s kindness paid off, as Tama and Popo became friends within a week.
“We can hardly believe how well they get along,” Shintaro says. “They get really excited before dinner and groom each other like crazy. We think they are a really good match.”
Popo would most likely agree that it is indeed a fantastic match.
“Popo weighs nearly twice what Tama does and loves food, so he happily cleans up any of Tama’s leftovers,” explains Shintaro, who says the newcomer is also something of a guru. “He teaches us about relaxation by lying stretched out in a sunny spot. We simply love the sight of Popo and Tama relaxing together.”
It seems like this adoption was truly meant to be. “Thank you, Popo for coming to live with us!”
If you are interested in adopting one of these pets, email ARK at [email protected] or call 050-1557-2763 Monday to Saturday (bilingual) for more information. Tokyo ARK is an NPO founded by Briton Elizabeth Oliver. It is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals. All animals are vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. Prospective owners are requested to undergo a screening process. Web: www.arkbark.net.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.