A dachshund rescued from the Japanese nuclear disaster zone has been given a new leash on life after being adopted by a Surrey, B.C. family.
Ashley Fruno, an animal rescuer for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, spent more than 30 hours in transit bringing the four-year-old dog back to her parent's home in Cloverdale on Wednesday.
The dog, Belle, was found by Fruno in Niigata, south of Sendai, one of the hardest hit areas in the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Belle was given to a Japanese animal rescue group after her owners fled the country because of radiation concerns.
Fruno says PETA was the first international animal organization on the ground after the quake distributing supplies and looking for stranded animals.
Many Japanese residents were forced to abandon their beloved pets when they entered evacuation centres.
Fruno calls Belle one of the lucky ones.
"There are many animals roaming the streets and groups are trying to catch them," she said. "There are animals who died of starvation because their owners didn't realize they would be evacuating for so long. And there are many other animals who are being abandoned at local groups and shelters."
Belle was checked over by veterinarians in both the U.S. in Canada. So far, the dog has shown no signs of radiation poisoning.
Belle will live with Fruno's parents permanently. She is confident they'll do a great job caring for the abandoned canine.
"My parents are excellent dog guardians," she said. "I've trained them very well."
