“Hero” Dog Not Allowed in Evacuation Shelter

A few days ago, I posted about a shih tzu that saved her human master from the deadly March 11th tsunami. Here’s an update on their situation, which aired yesterday evening on ATV:

The beginning of the report shows 83-year-old Tami Akanuma walking through the remnants of Miyako city with her dog, Babu. On the day of the earthquake, Babu forced Akanuma to change their usual walking route, a decision that lead the both of them to high ground that was beyond the reach of the tsunami. Akanuma believes that Babu saved her life.

When first interviewed about the story, Akanuma and Babu were staying together at an evacuation shelter. However, a few days ago, they were relocated to a different shelter, only to find that dogs were not allowed because some evacuees might have allergies.

Babu is now staying at a friend’s house. It is the first time that Babu and Akanuma have been separated for so long. She worries that Babu will be lonely without her, and it’s obvious that she also misses Babu.

Akanuma’s son and daughter-in-law are now searching for a new place to live. With luck, Akanuma and Babu will soon be living together again.

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ThyGoddess

Well, hero or not it makes sense. He’s a dog. People can be allergic to him and some people have severe asthma reactions from their allergens. If you’re within a public enclosed place for long periods of time you should not have your dog. And before anyone says it…. shih tzu are supposedly hypoallergenic but hypoallergenic dogs do not exist. I’ve had allergic reactions to schnauzers, poodles… The allergens just stay more within the dog’s fur since they don’t shed as much.
sublight

Sad as it is, the shelter organizers have a point. You’ve got a large number of people trying to live packed together in one room, possibly for weeks at a time. Even under normal conditions dogs and cats tend to get skittish around strangers and openly hostile around other animals, so if you allow evacuees to keep pets in unfamiliar surroundings like a shelter there’s not going to be a minute that goes by without barking, growing or snapping, 24 hours a day. And that’s not even touching allergy, hygiene or safety issues (what if your dog takes a dump on someone’s futon? What if your kid gets bitten?).

I feel bad for the owner and her dog, but the shelter made the right call on this.
Random Dudette

Something I don’t get. If there is a friend in the area, why doesn’t she stay there as well? It should be better than at a shelter, right? And why can’t she stay with her son and daughter-in-law?
RMilner

Maybe their houses are too small.

“Hero” Dog Not Allowed in Evacuation Shelter

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