Pet Shop vs Adopt

Did you just move to Japan and looking for a new companion? Have you lived here for years but ready for a new adventure? Regardless of how long you have been in the land of the rising sun, you are here. A pivotal point in your life. 

You are ready to welcome a dog to your family.

So now what?  

There are several ways one can "get" a dog in Japan, with pros and cons to each channel. While I personally encourage anyone who can to adopt, unfortunately things like  martial status, age, and citizenship can make adoptions difficult.

So what are the different ways to getting a dog?

1. Pet shop

Pet shops are probably the easiest ways to purchase a pet in Japan. As long as you can pay the price, most stores have very loose background checks (if any) and you can most likely walk out of the store with your new family member. One of the pros of pet shops is that it will be easier getting a young puppy so new owners will have an easier time bonding with them compared to older dogs that are often seen on adoption sites.  While not all pet shops are evil, and I personally have owned a dog from a pet shop before, remember that it is ultimately a business and some of the cute puppies you see in the window may be coming from mom dogs whose lives are dedicated to birthing puppies and are not provided fundamental care (like sunlight, walks, freedom). If you're buying from a pet shop, do your due diligence and try to support shops that treat their animals right.

2. Adoption

Adoption is becoming more and more popular in Japan. There are many organizations all over the country that handle adoptions, some of them specializing in specific breeds of dogs.  It's important to mention that some of these organizations are sometimes run by breeders who treat their dogs cruely, so again, do your due diligence on where you adopt from. Look for organizations that are open and honest about the history and background of their dogs. Look for organizations that have pulled out dogs from local dog pounds/shelters (called hokenjyo 保健所) or from cruel environments such as unethical breeders and petshops. Look for organizations that have solid pre and post adoption processes such as interviews, home checks, trial periods, and post-adoption gatherings. 

While I am personally an adoption advocate, I also understand there are difficulties that come with adopting dogs in Japan.

One is the screening process. Many organizations tend to favor families with children over non-married couples, singles, and foreigners. This is based on the old-fashioned belief that there is a lower risk of the adopted pet being abandoned with a married family with children. Non-married couples might break up and single people might get sick or lose financial stability, therefore losing the ability to care for anyone else.  Foreigners might leave and abandon their pets if they have trouble bringing them back abroad. While these reasonings seem biased, I personally have volunteered with organizations that have gotten calls from adoptive owners years later asking if they can give their dogs back because they are breaking up/sick/moving to another country.

While some organizations have strict screening standards, there are still plenty that are open to everyone. The search might take longer but it'll be worth the wait and trouble once you have your new pup in your arms.

The website ペットのおうち lists dogs, cats, and other small animals looking from homes from various organizations. They have search filters for single people, people over 65, and  "English Accepted". 

Fun fact, I found and adopted my current dog on this website so I can personally recommend it!