Original subtitles

Big waves, huh?

Dogs have long been man's best friends.

As dedicated as a colleague.

As dear as a child.

As caring as a parent.

As loving as a sweetheart.

To me, my dog was an invaluable partner.

- So what are the basics of walking? - Yes

stand by their side - yes

and make sure you're in charge.

- Yes - The right way for walking

- is when you walk you've to show leadership. - Yes

I work as a television director.

The star of my show was natsu.

Loose, not tight.

Right.

Try walking him like you usually do.

Come on.

Let's go back.

Natsu!

If you keep it tight, he'll resist.

- Dogs do not like to be pulled - Yes

keep it loose,

then pull.

Pull.

Like that.

He's stopped again.

Does this happen often?

It does. They stop.

It's disobedience.

- Disobedience. - They refuse to go with you.

Okay, cut!

Sorry!

Natsu!

Natsu, you're so stubborn. You tired?

Natsu was stubborn and hard to train.

- How's this? - Good.

Is it good?

He praised you.

Can you sit?

Sit!

Shake!

People said I spoiled natsu too much,

but he always made me happy.

Not yet learn how to change hand not easy right

banzai! Banzai!

You tired? Natsu?

"June 2000"

I shot video of natsu from his birth.

That's it!

A little more! It's coming!

Good! It's out! Good!

It's alive. It's alive.

It's so cute!

I watched over the growth of eight puppies.

I adopted one of them myself,

and called him natsu.

"Natsu"

natsu means summer, when he was born.

He was naughty and perky.

My time with natsu was irreplaceable.

Then one day, natsu passed away.

- Hello. - Hello.

Nobuko, I'm back again.

- Hello. - Hello.

How are you doing?

Thank you for coming all the way here.

I can't go drinking with younger colleagues.

I wish I could.

You loved drinking.

People change, don't they?

"1964 cannes film festival short film grand prix"

Try to play the ball as up as you can when you catch the ball

therefore you have to push the ball higher by using the power of waist

"this documentary followed the nichibo kaizuka women's volleyball team"

"as they strived to win a gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics."

Nobuko shibuya directed documentaries for over 50 years.

I admired her pioneering work.

Remember that dog of mine?

He died a little while ago.

And...

That made me very sad.

He was a golden retriever. It's a breed from Scotland.

I'm thinking of going there to study dogs.

Sol...

I think I'll go.

Apart from liking dogs and cats.

I want to go there to study dogs,

and when I come back,

I'll do volunteer work.

You say you want to study, but life goes by quickly.

You'd better act quickly,

or you'll be old before you even reach London.

So you should study in Japan.

Why not make a movie about dogs?

- A movie? - A movie.

You think I should?

Don't think about it as a big deal.

Just do it.

You think you're still young, but you don't have long.

You're right.

Until you enter this jail.

Don't say that!

I mean that, you know.

It all depends on what you really believe in.

"If you want to help dogs,

"use your 20 years of directing experience

to make a movie."

Nobuko's words surprised me, and set me on my way.

"February 2012"

How should I begin?

After much thought, I made up my mind.

I went to the place I least wanted to visit.

"Chiba prefectural animal welfare center"

In Japan, owners of dogs and cats are legally obligated to care for them.

Those without owners are taken in by regional animal welfare centers,

and euthanized in accordance with the law.

Wild dogs, strays,

and others abandoned by owners are brought here.

All dogs brought here

are called "rescued dogs."

This one's till march 2nd!

Noted

their lives get expiry dates.

After a week at the center,

if their owner or an adopter doesn't come for them,

they are euthanized.

"Entry prohibited"

The ones who have it the hardest

are the newborns.

Kittens? Are those kittens?

That's what they said.

An newborn needs its mother.

Most newborns abandoned in parks and other places

die before their expiry date.

Without an owner, a dog can't go on living.

That's the rule in Japan.

123,400 cats.

A total of 161,847 animals were euthanized in 2012.

Hello - hello.

Nice to meet you.

Same here. Nice to meet you.

Hi, I'm hisano. I'll be following you today.

- Nice to meet you. - Hello

I decided to meet with a group trying to save condemned animals.

Chibawan is mainly active in chiba.

"Chibawan deputy leader mieko yoshida"

mieko yoshida is its deputy leader.

From last week?

Yes, yes.

What's wrong?

Don't do that.

Dogs' personalities and health are checked for suitability for adoption.

Drool? Drool?

This one's a handful. Is it a female?

No, he's a male.

Teeth are checked first.

Their tartar tells their age.

About three years old.

Sit. Sit.

Now yoshida has given her okay. He's fit to live with humans.

He'll be introduced on their website.

Until an adopter is found, members will care for him at their homes.

Come on. Don't be scared.

Come now. Aren't you lucky?

Don't be scared. Sorry, sorry.

You're okay now.

You were scared, weren't you?

I think she must be wild.

- Wild? - Wild.

How can you tell?

She doesn't seem used to humans.

She's probably still young too.

About a year old, maybe?

- It's being attacked! - What happen?

Stop it! Stop it!

What's wrong?

"Final holding room: Room for the dogs decided to be euthanizated"

stop it! Stop it!

They're in the final holding room,

so until the euthanization machine turns on,

they have to stay in there.

That causes them to fight with each other.

Is that right?

They're only in there temporarily.

Some dogs that get put in here can't even stand.

How could anyone...

They didn't just run away. They must've been abandoned.

Why don't people fulfill their responsibility?

Yoshida is a pharmacist.

She takes one half-day off work every week to come to the center.

A dog in the final room is on her mind.

It won't leave her side.

You've got nowhere to go.

There must be somewhere.

She's totally adoptable.

Suddenly, a dog jumps over the wall.

Come on

I'm torn.

She's well-natured and suitable for adoption,

but no one will take her.

What will you do?

I'm not sure.

Sometimes there's no choice but to give up,

and sometimes we get them to hold the dog for longer.

You're a good girl.

She wants to save the dog,

but it has nowhere to go.

She has a rescue dog at home, and can't take in any more.

She still can't decide.

She's not wild. She's friendly, so she must've been abandoned.

You're a good girl.

I said she wasn't very young, but she actually is.

She's young. Very young.

We can't find her a home.

We can't find her a home, so can you keep her?

Please.

No problem.

Euthanizing her would be such a waste.

She can go in the adoption room.

Her life is saved.

Over the last 10 years, chibawan has saved over 4,000 dogs.

Innocent dogs are having their lives taken from them.

On the other hand, some people are trying to save them.

What can I do to help?

That day, the center gains a surprising new resident.

When were they born?

- The 7th. - 7 days

they're drinking well.

A female brought in a few days earlier gives birth to three puppies.

Chibawan planned to take in the mother, so they take all of them in.

Let's go.

A volunteer driver takes them to their "caregiver."

My place is a mess.

Sorry, sorry. You want to drink?

Eri shinmi agreed to take in one, but now has four.

Even so, it doesn't faze this caregiver.

Its eyes aren't open yet.

There you go, drink.

I've been to the center many times,

and when I see them...

"Chibawan volunteer caregiver eri shinmi"

I feel a need to help them.

I don't think it's such a burden, actually.

I've got others here,

so a few more won't make a difference.

- They're lucky. - She's tired.

She looks relaxed.

She's got a motherly face now.

"Chibawan volunteer caregiver hiroko Yanagisawa"

hiroko Yanagisawa has been a caregiver for four years.

Ok

It's lovely!

- We're here! - Arrived

- aren't you lucky? - Isn't it

she looks okay now.

The dog looks relieved to be here.

It seems to know it's safe.

Can I hold you?

I picked you up.

Well done!

You smell nice.

Hi there!

Hello. Sorry to barge in.

Wow, there are more! I'm impressed.

You've got three dogs?

That's awesome.

The yanagisawas have three dogs.

Two of them,

"kabu"

ban and kabu, came from the center.

"Ban"

they couldn't bare to part with them, so they adopted them.

- Rice, meat, and vegetables? - Yes

a complete meal.

Looks delicious!

Okay, eat!

They're so clever.

Come

come

is she eating?

She's wolfing it down.

Good girl.

Look at you lying against her. You're so relaxed now.

She was really friendly like this

- in the center too. - Is that right? What a good girl.

Why do you do this?

I'm not sure.

When I took a dog in for the first time,

and then gave it to its new owner,

my daughter and I felt the same.

When I sent it off and said goodbye,

it looked at me like, "why are you leaving me?"

- It was so hard. - The dog did?

I felt like I couldn't take a dog in ever again.

But... when you get over that,

the family that adopts the dog makes a big difference.

When they tell me how the dog is living happily now,

I feel really glad that I could help.

Also, if more people adopt dogs,

fewer dogs will lose their lives.

The number of dogs killed will decrease.

So I came to feel that what I'm doing is worthwhile.

And that's why I keep doing it.

And that brought you here.

You and your snoring.

This dog that escaped death and came to Yanagisawa's home

was given the name "sei" that night.

Good

"Tokyo shinozaki dog adoption fair"

chibawan holds dog adoption fairs every Sunday.

The dogs in caregivers' custody wear yellow bandanas.

It means they're looking for a new owner.

This dog, okaki, was hit by a car.

It spent two months with the shinozakis, and fully recovered.

"Okaki"

she looks like the dog I used to have.

I like dogs with this look.

They seem to like okaki.

Fingers crossed.

Yoshida has brought two dogs.

A woman seems to like one of them.

The 18 month-old biscuit.

"Biscuit"

does she bite?

Not at all.

You're cute.

Oh, really?

She's only 1.5 years old, so think about the next 15 years.

Sorry to be rude.

Because of my age.

If you come to need nursing care, it'll be difficult.

My daughter says she'll take her if that happens.

I see.

Yoshida is very particular.

She barely saved biscuit's life, so she's choosy with adopters.

I think a smaller dog would be better for you.

- I guess you're right. - Yes

she was kind enough to apply for adoption,

but I want biscuit to be happy.

I wasn't convinced that she could be her lifelong owner.

She's healthy now, so it's hard for her to imagine her future.

But in my experience,

some older adopters become ll and can't walk their dogs.

So to be honest, it's better that they don't adopt a dog.

Many dogs brought to centers have been abandoned.

Yoshida doesn't want that to happen again.

Her exacting approach comes from her kindness.

"Hiroshima city Hiroshima prefecture"

I learned of a woman in Hiroshima who takes in all condemned cats and dogs.

Is that really possible?

I went to meet her.

- Hello. - Hello.

I'm kanami hisano

- I'm nakatani. Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.

"Minashigo cat and dog rescue party leader Yuri nakatani"

hello.

Ms. hisano.

- I'm tahara. Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.

"Minashigo cat and dog rescue party duputy leader yoshimi tahara"

hi there!

- That's otchoko. - Dupe?

- As in "otchokochoi." - A real scatterbrain.

With a freckled nose.

- That's right. - So cute.

- Shall we go? - Yes, thank you.

Be quite

please come in

don't do that

no cannot

go over there

sorry to distrub you

can you remember all their names?

The dogs, yes. There are only 100 or so.

You can remember 1007?

Excuse me.

These dogs are from puppy mills. They have congenital disabilities.

"Puppy mills" is nakatani's word for unscrupulous breeders.

This one came from a puppy Miller trying to breed white dachshunds.

They were inbred over several generations.

Their eyes are like this.

That's awful.

This one's worse. It's deaf, and nearly blind.

But it's white. All over.

It's fourth-generation inbred.

A female was impregnated by its father,

then its daughter was impregnated by its father.

The resulting dog is white, but also deaf and nearly blind.

See this?

- There's a hole. - Yes, a big hole

she got gingivitis, but the puppy Miller didn't treat it.

She had puppies too?

Lots of them.

She's scared of humans, across the board.

You poor thing.

Shuwa here is a veteran breeding dog.

Her womb was a mess.

Her tongue's out.

She's got no teeth,

and I think she experienced some kind of trauma too.

Puppy mill dogs abandon their feelings.

Feelings aren't worth having.

They're not raised in hygenic conditions.

They poo and wee on newspaper that gets layered like pastry.

That's where they grow up, so they can't afford to have feelings.

So puppy mill dogs tend to be emotionless.

Even anger?

They rarely get mad.

Miniature dachshunds were once highly popular.

These dogs lived in the shadow of that boom.

Okay, come here.

Your nose is long.

It's long alright.

This is a room for abandoned cats

taken in by nakatani.

There are roughly 600.

Why are they here?

Many reasons. Moving house.

The owner's child is allergic to cats.

The owner lost their job.

The owner died, and their children can't care for it.

I take them in for life.

I promise to care for them until they die.

Therefore these cats will be here forever

they're all here.

Wow

come... eat

may I feed them?

Please do.

On the floor. Yes

come over here!

- Try to keep it in one place. - Yes

- I want to throw it up there. - I know.

They eat on the stairs.

Coming down?

Excuse me.

Excuse me. Coming in.

We head to the Hiroshima city animal control center.

Nakatani and tahara go there daily.

Dogs and cats are abandoned there everyday.

"Hiroshima city animal control center"

- good afternoon. - Hi there.

- You've got one? - Wait a moment.

We've got a cage.

Too small.

Newborns.

How many?

Several.

Six newborn kittens were waiting.

This heater was

installed after nakatani agreed to adopt all newborns.

In addition, a wild dog was caught.

Wild dogs are the descendants of strays.

They've never been pets, and they reject humans.

Normally, they're not taken in.

However, nakatani and tahara are different.

Just the kittens?

That's right.

They're docile and easy to catch.

So they're caught and euthanized while they're young. It happens all over Japan.

These kittens have it bad,

but so does their mother, who's lost her children.

She'll be searching for them now, desperately.

- Who's this cat? - His name's uncle.

- He's so kind. - He certainly is.

Uncle.

Uncle's fantastic!

You happy, uncle?

He was an abandoned kitten too.

I see.

He's a good uncle now.

He babysits for spilled milk.

That's right! That's his payment.

I'd prefer they died of old age.

It's wrong to kill them with gas just because it's convenient.

Buying and selling living things isn't right.

They're not like bags or clothes.

They're not accessories.

It's wrong to think "that person has a yellow one, so I want a red one."

What originally inspired you to start doing this?

At first, I was just an animal lover who couldn't ignore

injured dogs and cats, so I took them in.

How old were you?

"While operating a bar I began adoptions"

I was doing it when I was 30.

But there were much fewer then.

That's right.

You were running a bar?

We met at my bar, and he made a room for my cats.

"Mr. tahara is frequent customer of natani's bar"

why did you go so far as to build a house like this for her?

Beats me.

Because I was pretty?

You got it.

He's like my right half.

Without him, I couldn't operate the bus.

Or take in biting dogs.

I'd be the one getting bit.

Right?

The great east Japan earthquake hit.

It was before I turned 50, and I felt a sense of destiny.

I went to the disaster zone on march 14th.

"March 11th 2011 the great east Japan earthquake"

"two days after the earthquake"

"a 20 kilometer exclusion zone is declared around the fukushima plant"

not yet. Not yet. Not yet. Not yet.

Now go straight.

Nakatani and tahara arrived

in a town devoid of people.

Machi?

Not here.

Machi?

Machi's dead.

You need water, huh?

Okay, okay. Water.

You're all skin and bones.

Dead?

Dead?

Labrador! Black lab!

It's alive!

You're a survivor!

You did well, on your own.

Come here.

Come here.

Come here!

What now?

Don't move! Stay there.

- That's it. - Just like that

that's it.

Go down.

Don't hurt yourself.

Silly! Don't face this way.

I want to lift this.

Which one?

Both of them.

- It's got to be both at once. - Yes

hang on. Hang on.

Not yet. Not yet.

Carefully.

It's okay.

Do it now.

Free at last!

Let's do that.

What do we do...

What do we do about this?

Hang in there.

Your mom and dad will be back soon.

Calm down. It's here.

You want this place cleaned, don't you?

Is nobody around?

I'm sorry.

"May 2011"

"the government orders the culling of livestock in the zone"

good, keep eating. Keep eating, okay?

Keep eating.

Keep eating and get well, okay?

Big cows, right?

They're a little scary.

A little scary.

Let's survive, okay?

Will it run? It looks scared.

You must be lonely.

Let's go home.

Come on, let's go home.

Let's go home.

Animals that survived the disaster

shouldn't be euthanized just because they have no owner.

The couple slept in their Van, and rescued 1,400 cats and dogs.

It's inhuman. People were able to evacuate.

Radioactive material was in the air.

But animals weren't allowed to be evacuated.

They couldn't come along.

It just wasn't allowed.

Not because of irradiation. They were seen as a burden.

Basically, the thinking was that animals

would be nuisances at the shelters.

When we went to the disaster zone, dogs were starving and dehydrated.

It was an awful situation.

The animals of fukushima...

There were many we couldn't save...

We couldn't be there everyday to save them all.

We started with the weak ones,

but there were even weaker ones beyond our sight.

If we'd gone earlier...

That was...

What it was like.

I knew then I had a responsibility to not let their deaths go to waste.

We can finish within a day right

nakatani and tahara continued to visit the 20-kilometer exclusion zone.

"Access to control area application form"

cows were walking. There.

That's them.

They're crossing those tracks.

- They're crossing the tracks. - See them?

They're crossing over.

They live in a beautiful place.

They don't bother anyone.

Those must be stragglers.

- A family? - They must be.

Big and small

they must be.

Cows guard their children.

Much clean now

much better now

"a bountiful society and community."

Yeah.

"Nuclear power improve social prosperity and urban redevelopment”

with nuclear power.

So that's it.

"A bountiful society and community with nuclear power."

A quake's coming.

Can't tell if it'll shake.

This debris...

It's terrible.

There must be cats around in this weather.

- There's one! - There

back up.

On top of the wall

don't get out yet.

It's no good.

Won't catch that one.

Let's try back there.

We'll go around.

They save the ones they can,

and for those that can't be caught,

they leave portions of food that can be taken away.

There's one in there. I just saw its foot.

- It's shut. - Inside

see the foot, can't move?

- You're cute! - The one we saw a while ago

it's the one you saw.

You can't get out.

If it's lactating, we'll have to free it.

- Right we have to be pay attention - That's more important.

- For its kittens? - That's right.

It's a male!

- It's a male. - Male?

- Yeah. It's a male. - That's great

- let's go home. - Let's go

the cats and dogs they rescue are taken to their shelter in tochigi.

We're back

"cat and dog rescue party minashigo"

the land was provided by a supporter of nakatani's activities.

"Nasushiobara city tochigi prefecture"

"naraha town: Ikari, momoko, shiro, chibi"

"okuma town: Ichigo, minamisoma city: Gin gorai"

Eat up.

Hurry up and eat! Hurry up and eat! It's tasty.

They don't have owners, but we rescue them so they'll find new ones.

Nothing gets done if all you do is complain.

We make do with what we have.

If you work with what you have, new opportunities present themselves.

You find many supporters,

and your knowledge which was limited at first, starts to expand.

Thanks to other people.

So you've got to take action.

Nakatani and tahara moved to tochigi

to save disaster-stricken animals.

Volunteers came to help from around Japan.

The tochigi shelter has had over 3,500 volunteers on its roster.

Pet food and many letters of support were received.

Welcome home!

At first, we had mostly adult dogs,

but spring came two months after the disaster, and many babies with it.

We were inundated with puppies and kittens.

The post-disaster baby boom was unexpected.

The more babies were born, the harder it was to care for them.

Even nakatani struggled to deal with it.

I saw that. You pulled my hair. Have you been a good kid?

Oh really

chibawan leader kayo ogi comes to the rescue.

"Chibawan leader kayo ogida"

she brings her longtime colleague, vet takeo yamaguchi.

"Veterinarian takeo yamaguchi"

a prefab hut becomes a hospital.

Males are castrated and females are spayed to prevent further births.

This dog was in a house.

It was deserted.

The dog had run away, but it came back, and stayed inside.

Running away must have saved it.

All dogs and cats at the shelter are neutered.

In the disaster-hit areas, and elsewhere,

sterilization is vital to save animals.

She's in heat too. It's pink.

She's pregnant.

She's pregnant.

It's still only cells, so we'll remove it.

Sometimes it's already a baby.

I want people to know that we do this.

I want people to know how grim an abortion is.

We don't like doing it.

Is Japan prepared to care for every kitten born? That's the issue.

We wouldn't do this if we had any other choice.

When I started doing this 15 or 16 years ago,

around 1.2 million dogs and cats were euthanized annually.

Of that number,

99% of cats were kittens.

Sometimes their parents were euthanized too,

but mostly, they were kittens. If kittens are speyed, they don't reproduce.

Sterilization is key to animal welfare.

If a baby is killed after birth, it's better off not being born.

That's the painful choice faced by those involved in animal welfare.

Alternatively, they protect those that are born, to the end.

These are courageous people.

Tat chan!

Ever seen a vet do that?

This place is filled with life, and laughter.

December 2012.

Nakatani's group, cat and dog rescue party minashigo,

returns to Hiroshima with 1,200 disaster-stricken animals.

Most are from fukushima.

This was a shed,

but they needed shelter, so we built this for now.

Impressive.

Tahara returned to Hiroshima

and closed down his construction firm.

Still have a lot over there

this couple's power is overwhelming.

They do all this for dogs and cats.

"Don't let lost lives go to waste."

Those words had a profound impact on me.

Hey.

It's been a while.

You do this?

Yeah, I'm practicing.

They're putting more restrictions on them now.

That's right.

They've been given a bad image,

but they're useful if used properly.

To deliver medicine in disasters.

Or as a cameraman, I can shoot footage like this.

Look.

Wow! That's amazing!

Check this out.

That really is amazing.

What?

You're having fun.

Yeah. It's fun alright.

So what's up?

That dog you used to have...

Natsu, wasn't it?

I heard he got sick.

Yeah, he died.

He did, huh...

What? Is that why you got in touch?

I wanted to know if you're okay.

Who, me?

I'm worried, you know.

It's a small industry.

I hear about what my ex-wife's up to.

Oh yeah?

I'm making a movie about dogs.

A movie?

After natsu died,

I wanted to do something to help dogs.

I made up my mind to open my eyes and see

realities I'd avoided up until then.

Um.

I visited a place where dogs are euthanized.

Then I found out there are people working to save dogs.

They're quite amazing.

They go there every week to save dogs,

and find them new owners.

They save animals in the fukushima 20 kilometer exclusion zone.

They're amazing.

That is amazing.

On the other hand,

others overbreed animals for profit and treat them like objects.

They buy them on a whim like some trendy toy, then discard them.

That's disgusting.

But even I...

I only thought about dogs as cute.

I treated natsu badly for so long.

Badly how?

When I found out natsu was sick,

I took him to hospitals,

made him have operations, and admitted him.

I tried every treatment available.

But he died within a month.

It was too much for him.

I should have...

Let him rest at home.

I said it was for his sake,

but I didn't want to lose him.

I did it all for myself.

I didn't realise it...

But I was hurting him for selfish reasons.

I only heard this somewhere, but...

Sometimes, a dog and its owner are forced to part due to some situation, right?

Of course, dogs have feelings too,

and that separation makes them feel sad and lonely.

But when they reunite with their owner,

they forget all the loneliness and sadness that they felt

during that separation.

They forget it all,

and only feel happiness.

Amazing, right?

It sure is.

That's how important it is for a dog to be with its owner.

It's when they're happiest.

So...

I'm sure you have your own feelings about it...

But for natsu...

The fact you were with him to the end...

Made him happier than anything else could've.

Anyway, I'm glad.

About what?

You seem well. You're shooting a movie.

All I do is shoot though.

Shooting means you're looking.

Shooting is our job.

Shooting means opening your eyes to something.

You're opening your eyes to dogs and cats being killed.

You're opening your eyes to the people trying to save them.

It's a good thing that someone's opening their eyes to that.

You haven't changed.

You always did have a way with words.

Want to hear more?

No no, I've heard enough.

You better finish it.

Yeah. I know.

How much have you shot?

200 hours?

Impossible! Impossible!

I'd better get going.

I'm relieved you're well.

You take care too.

See you.

"March 2015"

I followed chibawan's yoshida one more time.

Three years had gone by since I last visited this center.

May I enter?

Sure.

The center is changing.

Dogs with a high chance of being adopted

are not euthanized once their time is up,

and the center helps with an ongoing search for new owners.

The attempts to save dogs made by yoshida, nakatani, and others

appear to be changing society.

Oh, sorry! Sorry.

How old is this one?

Its owner said it's a year old.

It's skinny.

Its owner brought it in.

Its owner did?

An owner who wants a one-year-old dog to be euthanized.

The center changed, but if owners don't,

dogs will never find happiness.

Where are you going?

A leaf? Are you eating it?

How about these?

This one was brought in to the center.

It was found wandering, and brought in.

Wandering?

It's very friendly, so did it have an owner?

I'm sure it did.

Either they abandoned it on purpose,

or it ran away and they didn't bother looking for it.

One time, there was a dog with an ID tag on its collar.

The tag even had a phone number.

One of our staff called it, and the owner said "that's my dog,

but I don't want it because I got another one."

Unbelievable.

- Unbelievable. - Yes

if you don't truly love dogs, you shouldn't get one.

You sat down?

It's sitting.

- Aren't you clever! - Good boy

- it loves people. - Right.

It loves people, but...

Why would you not want to get this cutie back?

It's a mystery.

It sure is.

It can fit right in anywhere.

Come on!

It loves to follow.

Don't worry, we'll be right back.

Dogs can't choose their owners.

Their fate depends on the type of person who takes them in.

We're back!

Euthanizations are decreasing year by year.

Even so, dogs are constantly being brought to the center.

No matter how many are saved...

Closing the door.

Could you wash her?

Sure. Come here.

Come here.

- Come. - Let her wash you.

Come

don't you want to leave the center?

This wild dog was roaming the hills.

Here comes the water.

Sorry.

What a good girl!

You're so clever.

Such a clever dog.

Okay.

Let's get you soaped up.

Excuse me.

I was surprised she was so obedient.

You're so clever.

Aren't you clever?

I thought rescued dogs were unfriendly. Not any more.

I'll wash your head.

Washing your head.

"Yokohama city kanagawa prefecture"

chibawan leader ogita is headed somewhere in a hurry.

Someone has to fill in these records.

The cage numbers should be written here.

I'll check them, then I'll tell you.

Imai, could you hold and weigh them?

- Good morning! - Good morning

their destination is a breeder's store.

Popular breeds. Cavaliers and corgis.

46 dogs have been left alone in awful conditions.

Shut up!

"Intimidation dogs keep quiet leader"

scare them like that.

They go to market after 40 days. They've got to look good.

They get priced instantly, sitting on a conveyor belt.

The breeder wants to dispose of them due to money trouble.

Ogita rushed here after learning of this.

They take the dogs on the condition that the breeder shuts down.

Wait a moment.

Give me the number.

Number 49, 5.3 kg

They need operations. Sterilization,

vaccinations, and filariasis tests.

Ear cleaning too. We do it all for them.

Often their wombs are a mess, or even have dead puppies in them.

The mothers are in danger, so it's risky.

Even so, it's vital to operate.

So that's what we've decided to do.

A pet cemetary's carpark becomes a field hospital.

As usual, the operating surgeon is Dr. yamaguchi.

Cat and dog rescue party minashigo's tahara and nakatani

have come from Hiroshima to help.

There's fatty tissue even if they're not fat.

If they don't eat well, they develop visceral fat.

Many dogs are dumped in the mountains.

Unscrupulous breeders are difficult to eradicate.

People who trade in animals only think of them as objects.

Breeders produce babies and sell them.

They do it because it's lucrative.

If they stop making money, they just change careers.

Consumers make it lucrative. You could introduce stricter laws,

but if it makes money, people will always do it.

Even if it's inhumane.

In Japan, it's normal to go to a pet shop to buy a dog.

But every time someone does that, they're encouraging breeders.

Therefore, terrible situations like the one we saw today

are being created by none other than consumers.

The industry needs consumers to exist.

If the industry wasn't lucrative, it wouldn't exist.

These abuses wouldn't happen.

"Cats & dogs 150 in stock"

it never occurred to me before.

Pets are friends, sweethearts, and family members...

My love for them was genuine.

But being able to buy such precious beings...

Doesn't seem right.

Dogs can't choose their owners.

At pet shops, and animal welfare centers,

they wait patiently for someone to choose them.

And if a new owner doesn't appear,

they have no home, or name.

What a clever girl!

How's that? Okay? It doesn't hurt?

The dog I washed at the center.

A dog without a name.

How is it doing now?

Before I knew it, I was thinking of a name.

- Hello! - Hello!

- Was it easy to find? - It was!

- Hey, not so fast! - Let me touch you

remember me?

You're so clever!

Come here.

You have a lovely home.

And a wonderful garden.

Oh, this.

I had a dog before, so I found a house with a garden.

It wasn't cheap though.

She'll love having so much space.

I hope so.

Okay, she's all yours from today.

I'll take good care of her.

Have you decided on a name?

I'll call her haru.

Haru. That's a nice name.

"Haru"

it means spring, and new beginnings.

Right, haru?

Okay with you?

Haru, your bed's over here.

Wow!

Do you like it?

You work in television, don't you?

That's right.

You must be busy.

Yes, when I've got location shoots.

When you do, please let me know. I'll look after haru for you.

You will? That'll be a great help!

Isn't that great?

Please, have a seat.

Thank you.

I have a dog called mini at home.

Please take her when I'm busy.

It's an exchange.

Of course, I'd be happy to.

That being said,

I don't have a job, so I'm never busy.

I'm a neet.

Is that right?

I'm volunteering like this while I recharge my batteries.

Is that wrong?

No.

It's good to do that.

I think so.

It's like... taking a temporary break from life.

I'm doing that too now.

Having a dog with you at a time like this

is a wonderful thing.

It is. You're so right.

You live in chiba?

Yes, I do.

Very far?

Well... about an hour by car.

Where are you going?

From today, this is your home.

Hey.

Where did you come from?

Were you all alone?

Were you wild?

That doesn't matter now.

From today we'll be together forever.

W ait.

Okay!

I'm going to a nursing home in yokosuka today.

Dogs and cats can live there too.

Some are from chibawan.

I'll do my best to help as many dogs and cats as I can.

Be good.

See you later.

"Yokohama city kanagawa prefecture"

nursing homes where pets are allowed

hello.

Are few and far between in Japan.

Oh, sorry.

Hello. It's good to be here.

This is the living room where everyone relaxes.

They brush the dogs, and do what they like.

Some of the dogs come from residents' homes,

and others are chibawan rescues.

All of them are old and laidback, making them perfect for the elderly.

Do you enjoy living with your dog?

I do. I enjoy it.

My husband and everyone else died.

I was lonely.

But my dog's such a darling.

He's a darling. Such a good boy.

Lovely and soft too.

Absolutely.

I should've thrown it further.

I held back.

Fetch it, dai! Fetch it!

Dog lovers want to live with their dogs, even in old age.

Bunbuku, come!

But that can be difficult.

"Sakura village yamashina facility director michihiko wakayama"

as you can see, michihiko wakayama adores dogs.

He wanted to make a difference.

It's so fun to watch.

You're lucky, bunbuku!

What, me too?

He sure is amazing.

Really amazing.

Where did you get the idea of a nursing home for living with pets?

Most nursing homes don't allow people to bring their dogs and cats along.

In some cases, those pets end up being euthanized.

It happens a lot.

I wanted to make cohabitation possible.

Also, many people feel they can't keep pets because of their age.

When they move into our nursing home,

they can be with dogs and cats again.

Some say it's a dream come true.

Isn't it harder to care for

dogs that are elderly, or have illnesses?

It's a nursing home, for humans, and cats and dogs.

We provide care for people who need it, as well as pets,

in the most natural way possible.

Interesting.

I see.

So people and animals can live together,

and receive nursing care too.

That's right.

Mrs. kaneko?

Good morning. Bun's here to wake you up.

Good morning.

Go on, bun.

Wake Mrs. kaneko up.

Good job, bun.

Is he heavy?

He sure is. He's heavy,

but he's cute, so it doesn't bother me.

He comes when I don't come.

He comes at snack time?

He comes to get me.

Good boy, bun! Look at you.

Hey bun.

You're a clever boy, bun.

He really is clever.

Dai's chewing a slipper.

No.

Dail

dai's going. Come on.

Let's go.

Bun! Come here.

Come here.

Here he is!

Wow!

The dogs are affectionate to the elderly residents.

Bun likes Mrs. kaneko.

Sometimes they beg for food, and get scolded for making noise.

But they don't seem to mind.

They're like mischievous, clumsy grandchildren.

Life is a lot more fun with them around.

"Nasushiobara city tochigi prefecture"

I went to see nakatani and tahara at their shelter in tochigi.

Four years after 3.11.

Their facility for disaster-stricken animals is still operating.

Hello.

Sorry to bother you.

Not at all. Please come in.

Over 1,000 animals have lived at this shelter,

including dogs and cats from around Japan.

There are about 170 in there.

Really? It's very spacious.

Very spacious.

This dog was found wandering.

It's so cute!

It's six meters deep. Six meters.

This used to be a freezer.

A freezer?

This one freezer is split into three units.

Due to the demand

- several dogs can fit in here. - Really

so it's well insulated, - yes

and can deflect heat and cold.

Hi there. Excuse me.

Not cold, right?

No, not at all.

There's no heater at all.

These blankets are draped over frames.

It's warm inside at night.

Their body heat's enough.

Isn't that great?

It's the least we can do for them.

Normally, cats live with families. Human families.

But these cats can't do that,

so we feed them well.

They need their freedom too. Yes

they shouldn't live in cages just because they're ownerless.

Aren't you lovely! Hi there!

That's my tenten.

Oh, hello there!

- No. - Get off her!

Aren't you lucky! Aren't you lucky!

Lucky they rescued you.

Be good

are they up for adoption?

I think they're ready to find new owners.

They're so friendly.

So friendly - good boy

this one's big too.

You're so big.

Nakatani's work will continue beyond fukushima.

True to her word, more lives are being saved.

One reason why nakatani returned to tochigi is this dog, chibi.

"Chibi"

it came from fukushima, and has a certain problem.

"Owner kanno brought chibi to nakatani's group”

chibi was born in kawamata town, in the 20 kilometer zone.

Its owner was at a shelter, so nakatani's group took it in.

Separation from its beloved owner traumatized it,

causing it to growl constantly.

Stop that!

Chibi - be quite!

Nobody's there.

He chases his tail,

and bites his rear, causing serious damage.

Even so, chibi has come to trust tahara.

Chibi likes being held.

- Nobody else? - Nobody.

- Others get bitten. - Yes

we had his tail amputated at a hospital.

He still stretches around to bite this hair.

He tears it out.

- By himself. - Yes.

At the worst time, all the hair here was gone.

Chibi's a lot more relaxed now, so a little's grown back.

He's emotionally unstable.

You're a good boy.

Good boy. There there.

I stroke chibi on purpose. To put him at ease.

No need to be scared. You're safe. Good boy.

Four years after 3.11,

chibi is recovering,

but is still being kept here

because his elderly owner is unwell.

- Let's get on. - Okay, thank you.

From time to time, they take chibi to his owner.

It's messy in here.

Hi there.

This is yuki. She's heavy. Yuki, you're heavy.

Yuki.

- This is mack. - Mack.

He's big.

He is big.

- You wouldn't want him to bite you. - Right.

And this is akane - akane

akane. She's scared.

Scared of people.

This is koyuki. As in "light snow."

She's not light though.

- This is pochikko. - Pochikko.

- Hi there. - I am pochikko.

And this over here is chibi.

Oh, chibi. We met before. Hi there.

So where to first?

We'll go see the lady who owns pochikko.

She's first, then chibi's owner.

Pochikko is from litate village in fukushima.

Her owner lives in temporary housing.

"Litate village temporary housing fukushima city, fukushima prefecture"

that's temporary housing.

For litate village.

It's really something.

It's granny!

Pochikko loves seeing granny.

Pochikko.

Pochikko's here.

- Pochikko? - Pochikko's here!

- Isn't that great, pochikko - That's good

good girl.

I wanted to see you so much, pochikko.

"Satsuki kanno"

so cute - she's so dear to me.

I have to stay alive to care for her.

It's a shame I can't.

Can't you keep pochikko here?

I don't know.

- You can't? - They tell me I can't. I can't.

It's a shame.

It is.

Thank you.

You don't have to thank me, but pochikko's old.

Her nose turned white.

She hasn't forgotten me. She's happy to be here.

Did you forget me? Shake.

Shake, shake.

Come on, shake.

Pochikko, shake. Shake.

- She did it. - Great.

Are you happy to see her?

Yes, she makes me very happy.

Once in a while.

They've brought her many times.

Right, pochikko?

I'm sure you're grateful. And glad.

Let's walk slowly. Slowly now.

Let's walk slowly.

Butterbur sprouts.

Oh, you're right.

Pochikko, let's cross here.

Pochikko.

Pochikko.

She's happy because I'm here.

Aren't you, girl?

Thank you so much.

No need for thanks.

Get on the car

pochikko, you're going? Pochikko!

Let's come again.

Pochikko's already on the bus!

Thank you all so much.

Bye bye!

Pochikko can't hear me.

Next up is the problem child, chibi.

His owner has been in and out of hospital.

He can't wait to see chibi again.

It's grandpa.

Grandpa's there.

Chibi, what's going on?

There's grandpa! He's come out to meet you.

It's your grandpa!

It's your grandpa!

It's chibi!

Chibi's overjoyed.

Isn't that great, chibi?

Chibi!

Isn't that great? You're overjoyed!

He's overjoyed.

Chibi's getting some milk.

Have some milk.

[T's milk. Chibi, it's milk.

Here chibi. Come on.

He loves drinking milk.

Hey chibi, how about a snack?

A snack for you, chibi. Aren't you lucky?

He bought you a snack.

It looks yummy.

Chibi's eating it.

You didn't forget us?

He wouldn't. He wouldn't.

He wouldn't forget.

He's a good boy.

He's a good boy?

How do you feel about nakatani and her colleagues

bringing chibi every few months?

Grateful.

You know, I can't express it in words.

"Kazuyuki kanno, chie kanno"

I've been so excited since last night.

I could hardly sleep.

Because chibi was coming.

But he looks so good now.

She said you look good, chibi. Isn't that great?

I wonder what chibi's thinking as he listens to us.

That's a good question.

Chibi, come here.

Good boy.

He's a good boy.

Chibi, let's take a picture.

The earthquake and nuclear accident

brought people together amid despair.

A single dog has connected people, and soothed their souls.

Go, chibi. Go!

Thank you.

Okay, see you again in a month.

He's gone.

Sorry I left you here.

I met a dog called chibi and his grandpa.

They live apart, but they're connected.

Hey, hey.

Let's become as close as they are.

Families can be made up of all kinds of members.

Like dogs and humans.

Right?

"Make a movie."

Nobuko's words brought me this far, and helped me to learn something.

It's not what you can or can't do.

You've got to do something.

The key is to not give up, and keep going.

The wonderful people I met all knew that.

Hey!

Who's this?

After listening to you, I adopted a rescue dog too.

No

She's cute! What's her name?

Chiko.

Hi chiko! This is haru.

Haru? Well hello there.

"Chiko."

I wondered if I could help too.

Well, all I did was adopt a dog.

So, how's your movie?

I'm still shooting it.

Good. Stick at it.

- See you. - Um.

Haru, let's go! Chiko, bye bye!

See you "round.

Let's go.

And so,

I'm still making my movie.

"Rescure dog okaki was adopted by new owners"

"she's now called shuri and is part of the umeda family"

"rescue dog sei is about to be adopted by a new owner"

"This dog who was in the final room was given the name Abby"

"and has joined the ishikawa family"

"the breeder's 46 cavaliers and corgis have all found new owners"

"eight puppies abandoned at a factory were rescued by chibawan's ogida"

"rescue can't wait! Immediate action is vital"

"chibawan's yoshida continues to save animals from the welfare center"

"momo was washed away in the 311 tsunami”

"four years later she moved back in with her family"

good for you, momo.

Momo

"Nakatani takes in all dogs and cats from the center in Hiroshima city"

"In 2014 no euthanizations were performed there"

"There were 128,421 euthanizations in Japan in 2013. The number is dropping"

"people working to save animals are slowly changing society"

"even so dogs without names are still being brought to centers everyday"

"right now many are waiting to meet new owners"

Wow, here come the waves!

Cut!