Last year, police nationwide made 181 arrests on suspicion of animal cruelty.

This is a nearly four-times increase over the last 10 years.

The National Police Agency has stated the following regarding this issue:

The number of animal abuse cases has been on the increase in recent years due to growing public interest.

The National Police Agency will continue to strengthen cooperation with relevant organizations and groups that have administrative authority and expertise in animal welfare, and provide continuous guidance to those who care for animals inappropriately,

In cases where no improvement is confirmed, such as failure to follow the guidance of the relevant authorities, the police will conduct necessary investigations and arrest the suspect in order to prevent further incidents.

In addition, since malicious crimes, especially those committed in public places or on video-sharing websites where multiple people can see them, may cause great anxiety among the public, the police will promote prompt investigations for the early arrest of the suspects.

A series of never-ending tragic incidents:.

“Stab her cat in the chest with a knife? Another dead cat in the house… Woman arrested for violating the Animal Protection Law“

“Breeding up to 60 cats…left behind and moved out. Owner had no choice”

“Non veterinarian performs cesarean section on dogs without anesthesia.”

On May 10, 2024, the Matsumoto Branch of the Nagano District Court sentenced Koji Momose, 63, a company officer charged with violating the Animal Protection Law for abusing more than 450 dogs in poor conditions at his pet business, and sentenced him to one year in prison, three years suspended, and fined 100,000 yen.

The public has been harshly critical of this sentence for its disregard for the dogs’ lives. Moreover, the fine is less than the price of a single puppy.

Ideally, we would like to see a change in the consciousness of each person and a world where people do not abuse the weak, but in reality, without legal regulation, it is difficult to protect them.

The World Dog Alliance promotes the development of laws that properly protect dogs and cats.