A 52-year-old woman from Nagoya, Japan, threw her 19-year-old Chihuahua "Saburo" from the sixth floor of her apartment in April. She claimed she wanted it to leave the world painlessly, but this resulted in the dog being severely injured and paralyzed, dying unfortunately a month later. The incident also reveals the systemic predicament faced by elderly people living alone while keeping pets in Japan.
According to a report from "TBS News", the woman, who lived alone, had previously been the manager of an izakaya, but lost her job a decade ago due to building demolition. She has since lived on subsidies, falling into a cycle of alcoholism and depression. Saburo was a companion dog she took over from a friend, accompanying her through the toughest times in her life. The woman said she felt extremely sorry seeing Saburo aging and having difficulty walking, which led to her notion to "help it relieve".
● Arrested for Violating the 'Animal Protection Law'
But this "farewell" turned into a deeper tragedy. Saburo miraculously survived the fall, diagnosed with brain damage and lower body paralysis, and passed away in its sleep after a month of being bedridden. The woman was arrested by the police for violating the 'Animal Protection Law' and fined 100,000 yen (approximately 2,944 ringgit).
The incident has sparked widespread discussion about the problem of elderly people keeping pets. The private animal protection organization "Dog Rescue Hug" in Taketoyo Town, Aichi Prefecture, pointed out that their center alone currently houses 22 dogs abandoned because their elderly owners were unable to care for them.
Director Megumi Tsukamoto said many elderly live alone, with limited income, unable to afford medical and daily care expenses, but since pets are the focus of their lives, it is difficult to part with them. "This is a dilemma modern society is unwilling to face."
According to data from the Japanese government and animal protection groups, about 45,000 dogs and cats are abandoned by their owners and enter shelters each year, though this is a decrease from previous years. However, cases of abuse and abandonment due to economic poverty are on the rise annually. Especially for elderly living alone, the lack of family support and intervention from social systems can easily lead to tragedies beyond what they can bear.
After Saburo's death, Tsukamoto personally went to retrieve its body to handle postmortem arrangements. She said painfully, "If we had known about its situation earlier, maybe everything could have changed." She urges the government to establish dedicated services to provide pet care assistance to elderly owners to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. (News Source: Liberty Times)