OTSUCHI, Iwate Prefecture--A community newspaper in this disaster-stricken northern town marked the first anniversary of its launch by running a special edition featuring a menagerie of pets: 52 dogs, two cats, a hamster and a tortoise.
OTSUCHI, Iwate Prefecture--A community newspaper in this disaster-stricken northern town marked the first anniversary of its launch by running a special edition featuring a menagerie of pets: 52 dogs, two cats, a hamster and a tortoise.“Although pets were also affected by the (2011 earthquake and tsunami) disaster, they are helping their owners heal (their mental wounds),” said Yukiko Takada, 38, who reports, edits and self-publishes The Otsuchi Shimbun. “I wanted to express my appreciation to the animals with that edition.”The free weekly paper focuses on information related to rebuilding houses and the town, as well as other recovery efforts.About 5,000 copies are delivered to all of the homes in the town. Printing and delivery expenses are covered by ads.One popular column is “Otsuchi Wanko,” which means dogs in Otsuchi. For the column, she takes a snapshot of a dog she encountered while out gathering news and interviews its owner about the animal.Takada said bringing up the subject of pets turned out to be a good approach to break the ice with disaster victims.“Even people who are reluctant to be interviewed are willing to talk about their dogs,” she said. “After a while, they begin sharing their accounts with me as to how they pulled their life together.”The column is written in a style as if the animal actually spoke to her.The anniversary edition, published last month, was a roundup of the past installments. She also included two cats, a hamster and a tortoise to take readers by surprise.One of the owners covered in the column is Sachiko Obata, 79, who lost her son in the disaster. Her husband passed away after a frantic search for their son worsened his health significantly. Obata’s plight did not stop there; she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I thought it will be my turn next,” she said.When she felt down with the disease, Tachi, a 13-year-old Akita, was with her to lift her spirits.Obata said the dog, a male, frequently dug up debris around their home as if to look for their son. He had been the one to care for the animal most.“The dog is protecting me,” Obata said. “I am exceedingly grateful that Tachi is still alive.”The 2011 disaster took a devastating toll on animals, as well.Maru Iwama, a 12-year-old Maltese now living in temporary housing, lost its eyesight because of the magnitude-9.0 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami that leveled the town.Momo Miura, a 13-year-old dog of mixed breed, immediately hides in the shadows every time an earthquake strikes, according to its owner.The female dog is still traumatized after a dog with which it was usually tethered was lost in the tsunami.Koro Higasa, a 14-year-old dog, is so stressed that it is overeating and putting on weight.Takada’s next target is publishing a photo collection of 101 animals, inspired by the Disney movie, “One Hundred and One Dalmatians.”