Health officials rescue 164 malnourished dogs from tiny, dirty house in Japan

Japan is seeing an increase in animal hoarding cases, many relating to pet owners living in strained conditions

Handout photo shows dozens of dogs are crammed inside a tiny house in Izumo, Japan (via REUTERS)

Animal rights groups and health officials rescued 164 dogs from extremely poor conditions in a cramped house in Japan in what is considered one of the country’s worst cases of animal hoarding.

The animals were found in the city of Izumo in western Japan where they lived on shelves or under tables and chairs in a  30 square-metre (323 sq foot) house. The dogs were mostly malnourished and infected with parasites.

The information reached animal rights groups in mid-October after a complaint by neighbours.

Kunihisa Sagami, the head of animal rights group Dobutsukikin said: “The entire floor was filled with dogs and all the floor space you could see was covered with faeces.”

Public health officials first visited the house seven years ago after getting complaints from neighbours about the noise and bad smell but the owner refused to let officials investigate at that time.

The three people living in the house said they could not afford to spay and neuter the dogs, so they kept getting more of them.

Ms Sagami said the family has agreed to give up the dogs and his group would look for foster homes for them after they got medical care.

Cases of animal hoarders in Japan, who live with a large number of pets, are increasing and gaining attention.

In August 2019, 163 cats were rescued from a Tokyo apartment packed in a 11 square metre space. According to the environment ministry, in 2018, 120 cities reported a total of 2,064 complaints about animal hoarding, many involving pet owners living in difficult conditions and unable to spey and neuter animals.