The 2-year-old Zengina came to ARK in April with two other cats. All of them were rather timid, having lacked socialization, and weren’t too interested in mixing with humans.
Zengina has warmed considerably, thanks in large part to her foster mom, who has worked on forming a bond with her. Zengina’s somewhat unusual name actually has its origin in what was her favorite hiding place. That was behind the washing machine, a fully automatic washing machine. “Fully automatic” in Japanese is “zenjidō.”
Though Zengina is not at all like a machine, she did apparently find comfort behind one. She is healthy, with particular problems, strikingly beautiful and not at all aggressive. She’s just timid. The progress Zengina has shown assures us that, with the right environment and lots of gentleness, she can blossom into quite an affectionate cat.
A home with other friendly cats would surely help her, as would patient owners who can give her quiet, caring attention.
If you are interested in adopting Zengina or any of the animals below, 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.
Cute, cuddly and clever, Vernon came to ARK as one of a group of puppies that were rather terrified of people and anything new — especially loud noises.
It's now six years later and this cute pup is still at ARK, but he shouldn’t be. After first coming to the shelter, Vernon soon showed his cheeky side, letting on that he loves to be smothered with affection. This “conversation” begins when Vernon spots someone he’s comfortable with, then he runs around playing happily to get the “talk” going.
Vernon also has great fondness for toys and games, and he especially loves playing tug. When people play that with him he is over the moon and, admittedly, can get very carried away. With the right dog, Vernon can make friends. However, he can be highly defensive if he thinks a pal is in any danger. Though he can be a little on the high-strung side, Vernon, just over 14 kilograms, is guileless. A highly intelligent dog, he has some difficulty expressing himself to humans and can become frustrated by that. Vernon will do best with a family of good communicators who are patient and accepting, and who take him for what he is without trying to mold him into something else.
This stunning female cat is a 3-year-old named Chinatsu. She, her best friend Setoka, and some others came from yet another hoarding situation. Although the conditions were not totally horrific, and the cats seemed to have been relatively well cared for, there were 34 of them packed into one house. All the cats ARK has taken in so far are very friendly, attesting to the relatively decent conditions they were living in.
Chinatsu has coped reasonably well with the upheavals in her life and, after only a few weeks at ARK, she has settled in quite nicely, considering. She loves being around other cats, so we are hoping she can find a home with one of her friends.
Chinatsu’s favorite spot, however, is sitting on a human friend's lap, purring soft and steady. She would love to have someone who is able to spend lots of time with her.
Mango is a dog who's just as sweet as the fruit he shares his name with. He's popular with the volunteers at ARK and all he needs now is to find his forever home.
Frequent Adopt Me! readers may now have read about a horrific hoarding situation in Shimane Prefecture that found 164 dogs packed into one house. They were made to suffer extremely dire conditions until their rescue, and many of them remain at ARK and are still in need of permanent homes.
But animals are resilient, aren't they? Mango is thought to be about 7 years old. He may not have the prettiest face, partially due to his time at that Shimane house. His eyes suffered from the near-starvation conditions he was in and, as a result, his vision isn't that good. That doesn’t trouble him though, and this is why we say animals are resilient. Despite his past, he's able to get around and quickly figures out where everything is. He enjoys himself out running and likes to follow people about.
Mango has a very endearing habit of tilting his head when he’s spoken to, and his sweet personality has made him a favorite at the shelter. An easy-going fellow, Mango’s biggest love in life may be food. He will be very easy to train and is fine on walks as long as he’s helped a bit with the navigation. Word at the shelter is that he's a "10 out of 10," and perhaps he'll make the perfect pal for you.
This column recently featured Beau, a handsome chap who came to ARK after the death of his owner. We had mentioned he joined with another cat, Hannah, and this is her week to shine.
Both cats had become people-shy after being left for months in an empty house with only weekly visits from someone who would feed them. Now in foster care in Tokyo, the two are showing their true natures and it has become evident that the rambunctious Beau, who thinks it’s a gas to punch Hannah in an invitation to play, is too much for the latter’s gentle ways. Hannah is a senior cat who is healthy for her years, but she’d rather opt for lying in a sunspot for a snooze rather than a romp around the room.
The plan is to find separate homes for these two cats, for Hannah’s sake. She has warmed again to people and is “incredibly affectionate and sweet,” according to the staff at ARK. Hannah spends a lot of time sleeping but loves being brushed. Thus, she’ll happily come to you, with hopes you’ll stroke her beautiful, shiny fur. Hannah is quite the looker, and perfect for someone looking for quiet companionship with a proper lady, of grace and gentility.
Eight-month-old Chip, currently in Tokyo, is still young and inexperienced, but he has already suffered under the heavy hand of misguided “discipline,” which in his case masqueraded as “training.” What he went through was neither.
Chip is an intelligent and instinctively wary dog that has become timid due to confusing and bewildering experiences. He’s also “super playful,” “very smart,” not in the slightest bit aggressive and, on top of all that, he’s a darn handsome fellow. He’s about 13 kilograms, a very manageable size for people living in less-than-spacious spaces.
A playful dog is a trainable dog only if that training is enjoyable. What Chip hasn’t had is someone with patience and understanding, someone who doesn’t force him to act bolder until he’s ready to be bolder.
Chip currently shares his foster home with other cats and dogs and he’s expected to flourish. His dream home would likely include a canine friend that would help give him confidence as Chip’s love for his human friends grows. We’re dreaming of that day.
Beau is new to ARK, having arrived in June with another cat, the 18-year-old Hannah. The pair lost their home after their elderly owner passed away recently. The two cats had been more or less on their own in the house for six months, with only weekly visits by a relative.
Luckily, ARK heard of the situation and took them in. Both are now being fostered in Tokyo, but unfortunately, Beau, who is a big cat, is proving too much for Hannah.
According to an ARK staff member, Beau’s “a great cat” and “a senior citizen who doesn’t know what that’s supposed to look like.” Not only is he gorgeous, fluffy and affectionate, he’s also playful. Boy, is he playful!
Having just turned 15, Beau has been around the block, but he’s not ambling around it — he’s jogging, with some laps at a sprint. He plays like a kitten, does nothing by halves, sleeps soundly and purrs like a lawnmower.
From the looks of it, Beau is not about to slow down any time soon. He’s independent and would be a great cat for a family or working person.
If you are interested in adopting any of the animals mentioned here, 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.
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