The Dog Shelter in Tokushima

The dog shelter run by Susan and Hitoshi in Tokushima is a non-profit organization that temporarily houses dogs and tries to find them new permanent homes. Approximately 220 dogs and around 40 cats live at the shelter.

Hitoshi works full-time at the shelter, while Susan has another day job. Three local paid employees and several long-term local volunteers are in charge of mainly feeding and cleaning the dogs and their accommodations. Hitoshi and Susan speak English, while the local staff only speak Japanese.

The dogs end up at the shelter for the following reasons. Firstly, as Japan’s society ages, dog owners may pass away or become unable to care for their pets. Secondly, frequent natural disasters in Japan such as landslides and floods force people to live in temporary shelters where pets are not allowed. Some dogs are from Fukushima, where residents had to permanently leave their homes after the nuclear disaster and now live in small city apartments where dogs are not allowed. Some dogs are also strays collected from parks.

In state-run shelters, dogs that are not rehomed may be euthanized if there is no space. However, this does not happen at Susan, who is from Canada, and Hitoshi's shelter.

Your Role as a Volunteer at the Dog Shelter in Tokushima

Your main task at Susan and Hitoshi's private dog shelter in Tokushima will be walking the dogs. This is usually done in small groups of up to 10 dogs, but some dogs need to be walked alone. This activity can be physically demanding and must be done in all weather conditions. Therefore, you should be physically fit and not have issues with rain, dirt, heat, cold, dog smell, barking, mosquitoes, etc. The shelter is located in a forest, so you will definitely encounter these natural conditions.

Short-term foreign volunteers usually do not participate in feeding and cleaning the dogs and their accommodations. However, if you have experience in dog care or are staying for several months, you may also take on these tasks.

If you have interest and skills, you can also help build and repair dog kennels.

Your work at the shelter typically starts around 10 AM and ends around 5 PM. If there are few volunteers, it may take longer to walk all the dogs and complete all tasks. You usually work 5 days a week.

Leisure Activities in Tokushima

The shelter is located in Tokushima, the capital of Tokushima Prefecture in southern Japan. You can spend your free time in various ways depending on the season. In spring, many people gather in parks to admire the cherry blossoms. In summer, you can engage in various water sports in Tokushima. It gets warm and humid, but the nearby sea offers refreshing relief. There are many mountains and hiking routes to explore in autumn to experience the changing colors of the forests. Winter in Tokushima can be mild, but occasionally there may be brief snowfalls. Temperatures usually stay above 0°C. With a population of 260,000, Tokushima offers many entertainment options.