The man lived in a no-pets evac site apart from Chappy, his 15-year-old Shiba Inu mix. For awhile the dog stayed near her old home. The man came by for meals and walks. Then he re-evacuated to Tokyo no-animals housing. Frantic, he enlisted relatives to find Chappy. But the dog was gone. Until Charles Harmison, an LCA rescuer, set the humane trap that found her. Chappy was very depressed when Kinship Circle's team met with Charles. We wondered how far she'd roamed. As soon as the man learned Chappy was alive, he journeyed 220 miles for a reunion. Chappy jumped and danced when she saw the man at Iwaki City train station. Sadly, the reunion was brief. Chappy returned to Animal Friends Niigata with us and is now safe. But her stay is just a detour on the dog's long road home. Chappy's family will come for her as soon as they can.

REFUGE OR DEATHIn the field, Kinship volunteers Kate O'Callaghan and Jackie Emard, with Tales Mello and Nick Bowan of JEARS, leave food and flyers about boarding at 7 evac centers in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture. Many displaced locals rely on the centers for pet food. At Kesencho Tsumoroku Komikan, a woman surrenders her adored cats, A-chan and Hana-chan, for interim shelter. A veterinarian and Ofunato NPO help us pull an anxious mama cat and her two kittens from city hall pound, where animals are killed quickly. We also negotiate release of Tufty, a young Shiba mix. A second vet secures two 8-year old dachshunds until their family secures permanent housing. A separate breakout team travels north toward the Minamisoma 20km exclusion zone. They meet members of People And Animals Together carrying a weak cat wrapped in newspaper. The Japan group says radiation readings are higher here. They show us photos of dead animals from their recent trip inside the sealed 20km zone. Later, we spot two black kitties and a tabby who meow from hunger. An orange cat flees in fear. All roam near their deserted Minamisoma homes. Cat food lures them close enough for Rachel and Lexie to trap. At a no-pets evacuee center, we meet dogs tethered outdoors, in cars, or under awnings. We leave blankets and food. Though windy and cold, no evacuees want to board animals. Many say more animals are trapped in the 20km radiation zone. Later, team members head to Minamisoma, inside the 20-30 — cities just beyond the 20km nuclear zone where access will end this month. Kinship teams work from a grid, to find animals and circulate boarding flyers.