Appalled by the shocking sight of emaciated and dying dogs and horses in Tokyo after World War II, two British women set about raising money to improve animal welfare in Japan and, in the process, changed public attitudes in the country.
More than six decades later, the charity they set up in London is still going strong, financing projects on the other side of the world.
One might ask why a group registered in Britain would be raising money for the welfare of animals in Japan, one of the world's richest countries. Trustees say the organization has kept true to the aims of its postwar founders, as it campaigns for improved welfare standards for pets, while also tackling higher-profile issues such as whaling, dolphin hunts and conditions in Japan's bear parks.