InsideJapan News Network

The Fukushima prefecture has seen a surge in feral dogs as thousands were left homeless and without owners following the nuclear tragedy six months ago.

There were an estimated 5,800 dogs in the area before the crisis and worries have emerged the newly wild pets could spread disease to humans, the Yomiuri Daily reported.

A prefectural government official highlighted the issue that such dogs could produce offspring that would exacerbate the problem.

They said: "If these puppies become parents, their offspring will be wild dogs with no experience with people," the news provider quoted.

Evidence that wild dogs are scourging the area was seen after a kitten was found ravaged in what was believed to be an attack by dogs.

Kunitoshi Baba, a Kawasake vet, found the poor creature with part of its flesh torn away and spotted two dogs roughly ten kilometres away from where the kitten lay dead.

The dogs fled from Mr Baba into the mountains.

He told Yomiuri: "The dogs have gone wild. If infected dogs go outside the zone and attack people, disease could spread."

In other news, a typhoon that swept the country spared the Fukushima nuclear plant further damage earlier this week.

Posted by Susan Ballion  


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