A powerful earthquake struck southern Japan on Tuesday, August 1st, 2026, causing widespread damage, power outages, and at least 36 deaths. In the aftermath, evacuees with pets faced difficulties finding shelter as many evacuation centers did not allow animals.

Tomoko Takaoka, a 31-year-old factory worker from Kumamoto, was unable to reach her parents and sought refuge at a nearby evacuation center with her two dogs, Ku, a chihuahua, and Sheri, a chihuahua-poodle mix. However, she was told her pets were not welcome. Choosing to stay with her dogs, she spent the first night in her car with them.

Social media posts eventually led Takaoka to Ryunosuke Animal Hospital in downtown Kumamoto. The hospital had converted classrooms in its veterinary nurse training school into temporary housing for evacuees, providing separate rooms for owners of cats and dogs. At the time Reuters visited, 26 evacuees and their pets were sheltering there.

Hospital director Ryunosuke Tokuda explained the arrangement: “During disasters it’s only natural for dogs and cats to stay together with their families. But people who don’t own pets don’t necessarily want to be with them.” The hospital had learned from experience after the devastating Kumamoto earthquake in 2016 and reopened its doors immediately following this week's quake.

Takaoka said of her dogs, “They're just like family to me. I'd like to stay with them as much as possible.” She noted that her dogs occasionally get excited when meeting new “friends” in the shelter’s designated dog room, but she does her best to calm them.

Services such as water and electricity are slowly being restored in the affected areas.

Sources