A veterinarian from Kumamoto Prefecture who provided shelter to pets and their owners in the wake of April's earthquakes in Kyushu is urging lawmakers to prepare similar facilities for future disasters.
As part of that effort, Ryunosuke Tokuda, 54, submitted a petition containing 33,990 signatures late last month to Diet lawmaker Yorihisa Matsuno of the Democratic Party, who belongs to a lawmakers' group on animal protection.
When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck off the Tohoku region in March 2011, pets weren't allowed in most evacuation shelters, forcing many owners to avoid the very facilities that could supply them with emergency provisions. Instead, many decided to sleep in their cars.