No dogs culled in Japan's Ibaraki Pref., but issues remain

Ibaraki Prefecture, long known for culling the largest number of shelter and stray dogs in Japan, did not euthanize any in the fiscal year ended March thanks to the country's first ordinance obliging pet owners to shoulder greater responsibility.But animal welfare groups say there are many issues that need to be addressed in order to continue avoiding culls in the prefecture northeast of Tokyo as animal shelters are becoming crowded.Abandoned dogs and cats are culled when new homes cannot be found or they are deemed "unsuitable" for re-homing transfer due to illness or behavior.In the prefe…READ FULL ARTICLE