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E-mail magazine for pets and owner PET PEOPLE

You can get information about diseases and health management of pets from the director Dr. Nagoshi who is the first in Japan to begin selling pet pharmaceuticals on the Internet.
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General Hospital Pet Center Nagoshi Newsletter
http://www.rakuten.co.jp/petcenter/

This E-mail magazine is sent out to patient's owner, people who inquired about health information, made purchase at our on-line store, responded to advertisement of presents. To change your address or stop receiving the magazine,
please click on the URL below
http://www.rakuten.co.jp/petcenter/news.html


Our thoughts on the animal protection
First, in order for people to survive, the person weighing 70 kg eats nearly 2 tons of food annually, and we donユt deny this. We think we may eat what we can farm, but we should not eat what we cannot farm such as whales, tunas, and sharkユs fin because those animals will eventually become extinct. It is forecast that the worldユs population will reach to 10 billion after 20 years and so food shortage is an unavoidable problem.

In addition, we should not use any painful method in killing animals. It is cruel not to kill animals with one blow since it gives them unnecessary pain. Such a method is left-over from the days when humans had to use any means available to get food in order to survive. Who can eat trapped deer or harpooned whales after hearing their throes of death?

We should breed animals in such a way so as not to disturb nature and not cause them any unnecessary pain when they are sent to the slaughterhouse.
Being at the top of food chain, this means we have specific responsibilities to animals. We are obligated not to possess, breed, use them for clothing, put them on display for our amusement, make them into attractions, or intrude into their habitats.

Send your comments and opinions to Dr. Nagoshi. generalhospital@petcenter.co.jp


We are cooperating with animal protection and environmental groups around the world.

  • There are over 100 animal protection and environment protection groups across the globe. General Hospital Pet Center Nagoshi is active in promoting the causes of these groups.

  • We added new page about Animal Protection.
    Weユd be shock in truth about cruelty to animals.


Rethink the Animal Protection Act!
Our thoughts on animal control centers

  • Although a person who harms an animal can be fined one million yen under the revised Animal Protection Act, the law is inconsistent with reality since over 700,000 cats and dogs being killed annually in the animal control centers across Japan.

  • Animal control centers are supposed to be staffed with several veterinarians, it is terrible that not a single one is going to tackle the reforms in the revised law. The veterinarians, in their duty as public officials, should be proposing revisions to the law, petitioning government ministries and other such activities.

  • One of the first duties a veterinarian has when he/she enters an animal control center is capturing and disposing of stray animals. They have doubts over performing this inhumane act but will not question their action as time passes. They will convince themselves that the law says so or somebody has to do it and merely serve the authorities faithfully without correcting the law. They will not speak to their superiors about the doubts they have. In the end, they will be turned into obedient drones, which do not have a feeling of sufficiency in their real intention.

  • Do they accept that people say, "They have sold their souls"? This is not acceptable. Nothing will change if they stick their heads in the sand. Those who most feel the necessity for reforms have to take the initiative in changing the situation. Something has to be done to inform the public. Otherwise, ordinary persons do not understand.

  • Our hospital began from the ability of us to do animal protection. From the outset, we have spayed and neutered over 1,000 stray cats and dogs to date at no charge. Furthermore, we have volunteered to treat small animals, such as rabbits, kept at kindergartens and elementary school students, and then we successfully petitioned the Kumamoto City for an increase in general affairs expenses for items such as rabbit hutches. We have also treated wild animals such as raccoons.

    However, not all of our activities have met with success. Although signatures were collected on television, radio, street, etc. in order to ask Kumamoto City to increase the subsidy of spaying and neutering program, this campaign fell through. A councilor said, "The petition was defected just before submitting by a lone veterinarian who complained that if spaying and neutering decreased the cat population, there would be less work for him/her." Instead of being the biggest ally of animals, veterinarians are the actually their biggest foe. A veterinary medical association in Tokorozawa is formally opposed to founding spaying and neutering support as all members' coincidence resolution. Under the present conditions, veterinary medical associations across Japan have few members devoted to animal protection.

  • Under the new law, each prefecture is left to deliberate by law proposals. However, they are asking people with no experienced on animal protection for their opinions on what should be discussed. The prefecture should turn to the experts, the groups and individuals fighting for animal protection, and have them draw up proposals to ambiguous clauses and articles in the law, so that the law works for animals in the future.


Someone broke this dogユs leg with repeated blows from a hummer.
This puppy may meet his fate in the gas chamber.

Since how to judge is left to each municipal division, we still have to solve some problems in actual application.

Send your comments and opinions to Dr. Nagoshi.
generalhospital@petcenter.co.jp

Animal Protection Conference is planning to fully cooperate each other with veterinary medical associations across Japan in the future, and to perform animal protection activities. Each veterinary medical association should promote the animal protection activities!!


Our thoughts on keeping pets
Read this article if youユre thinking about keeping a pet.

Beloved Fido is not a wild animal having been domesticated nearly 200 years ago, and his ancestors have long been extinct.

Pets are not natural and differ from wild animals in that their fur does not shed water.
As a result of intentional repeated inbreeding, they have limited immunity to and are predisposed to diseases, which explains why they cannot survive on their own in nature. Pets depend on us for survival. We have to atone for our past mistakes. However, human intervention decreases the wild animal population. Do the wild animals manage to keep their balance in the intervened environment? No. Because the animal population controls itself naturally, we should not attempt to control nature.

We have to always protect pets nearby and we should not intervene in wild animalユs life. Distinguish between the pets and wild animals, or the selfish people will keep any kind of wild animals as pets. We must never repeat the failure as we inbreeded dogs intentionally and limited their immunity to diseases.

People bring wild animals such as ferrets, prairiedogs and even African monitor lizards to our hospital almost daily the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits from keeping. I tell the people who keep wild animals that they have a responsibility to take care of the animals even if they did not know that the animals are wild. I also tell them that we do not have the right to control wild animals.

We veterinarians have a responsibility for the problem of keeping wild animals and also share some of the blame since we helped promote keeping of wild animals.

The rule that supply decreases with lower demand applies to wild animals as well. Donユt buy wild animals from pet stores and call TV stations and register a complaint when they broadcast programs on keeping wild animals as pets.

In Canada, all zoos were abolished in a referendum. The abolishment proves that we have no right to restrict wild animalsユ freedom. We give Canadians a big hand.

Did you know that Japan has the most zoos in the world (over 300) even though it is smaller than California? When consider that each zoo buys at least one lion and one tiger from their habitat through animal dealers, you are talking about a lot of animals in captivity.

Once humans had slavery. Although slavery is now long gone, it still exists for animals. Animals cannot fight for emancipation like we can. It is up to us to stand up and fight for their freedom.

Donユt take your children to the zoo where animals are treated as slaves. Stop keeping animals for tourist attractions and watching shows of monkeys, dogs and seals. Donユt repeat our faults and change our savage, violent and dominant deeds.

If you donユt know what it feels like to be in a zoo, close your eyes and imagine spending an entire Sunday in a cage at the zoo.

Be not troubled to correct faults!

Send your comments and opinions to Dr. Nagoshi.
generalhospital@petcenter.co.jp


Join the Animal Protection Conference
"Law Concerning the Protection and Control of Animals," which we, Animal Protection Conference, had eagerly desired for many years, was revised on December 1, 2000, as many people know by newspapers, TV programs, etc.

All mammals, birds, and reptiles, excluding livestock and animals used for laboratory tests research or production of biochemistry formulation, in Japan are protected under the revised law. Harming animals protected under this law is punishable by one million yen in fines and one year in prison.
In addition, people who abandon animals can be fined 300 thousand yen.

The law obligates pet storeowners, who have been unregulated up until now, to inform their customers on how to properly raise their pets. If the pet owner does not obey the advice given to him/her by the pet store, he/she can also be punished under the law.

Although the law seems strict, it does not cover laboratory animals and livestock, and does not ban offenders from ever owning pets or prohibit the killing of animals at animal control centers like the much stricter laws in foreign countries such as Britain do.

We have strongly promoted animal protection activities and environmental activities. For example, we spayed and neutered over 1,000 dogs and cats, treated rabbits bred in schools and wild animals such as raccoon dogs and owls. We also asked the city office personnel and have the expense of rabbit hatch maintenance increased.

However, not all of our activities have met with success. Although we collected many signatures through TV and radio programs and on street for the campaign of the subsidy of spaying and neutering program the petition was defeated before submitting it to the Council. The reason was that a lone veterinarian complained if spaying and neutering decrease the act population, there would be less work for him/her.

We formed the Animal Protection Conference for those who love animals by the enforcement of this low. We can accomplish what individual person canユt do if we all get together and we can begin from what we can do.

Please join and help us.
The more people join the APC, the more unfortunate animals can be helped and the larger the APC becomes, the more influential their opinions will become.

The APC is now accepting new members.
Click here to become a member or make a donation.



Animal Protection Conference Logo

(C) A.P.C.
This logo represents the APC. Each point on the star symbolizes the dogs, cats, exotic animals, birds, wild animals and marine life that APC strives to protect.
When you see this mark, please remember the activity.


Animal protection organizations around the world
This page collects information on animal cruelty around the world.

Contact us with your information on animal cruelty or if would like to link to this site.

Changing society begins with you.




"The Oath of Hippocrates"
"Staff of Asclepius" known as a symbol of medical art is a magical staff used by Asclepius who was mentioned in "The Oath of Hippocrates".

I SWEAR by Apollo the physician and Asclepius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment,
I will keep this Oath and this stipulation -- to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction,
I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none others.
I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgement, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.
I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art.
I will not cut persons labouring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and, further, from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves. Whatever, in connection with my professional service, or not in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad,
I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret. While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times. But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot.
Cite as:
Oath of Hippocrates In: Harvard Classics, Volume 38. P.F. Collier and Son, Boston: 1910.


(1) Apollon
He is a god in Greek mythology. He is a son of Zeus and Leto, and is the twin brother of Artemis. He is a beautiful and masculine god of music, medicine, archery, divination, and light. He is identified with the sun.

(2) Asclepius
He is the god of healing in Greek mythology. He is the son of Apollo. He could restore the dead to life. The staff of of Asclepius with coiled serpent is the traditional symbol of medicine.

If modern veterinarians apply the oath, they should do as follows:
  • Veterinarians shall freely pass on their knowledge and ability complimentary only to those who can perform veterinary medicine.
  • Veterinarians shall respect their teacher as a parent. They will render all possible assistance to their teacher and also offer financial assistance if required.
  • Veterinarians shall treat animals for only animalユs benefit and never euthanize a pet even if the pet's owner asks them to do so.
  • Veterinarians shall treat stray cats and dogs equally with pet cats and dogs without discrimination.
  • If veterinarians keep a patient's secret and dedicate themselves to their practice with pleasure, they will be respected from everyone. To do otherwise, they would only invite scorn.

To express our deep gratitude to Apollo who built the foundations of medicine, we must practice those mentioned above as our motto.
We can only uphold "The Oath of Hippocrates" by putting its words into practice.


(C)2005 Copyright General Hospital Pet Center NAGOSHI. All right reserved.