What is the difference between pet-advanced and developing countries? The gap in animal welfare between the world and Japan

While there are several countries considered "pet-advanced" globally, the following countries are particularly highly regarded in terms of animal welfare, living environments, and legal frameworks.

1. Germany 🇩🇪 (A leader in animal welfare)

✅ Achieved "zero culling"
→ Unlike Japan, dogs and cats are not culled in shelters or rescue facilities.
✅ Strict Animal Protection Act (world-class standards)
→ Animal abuse is punishable by up to 3 years in prison.
✅ Well-equipped Tierheims (animal shelters)
→ The world's largest Tierheim in Berlin houses over 1,400 animals.
✅ Introduction of a dog tax to prevent irresponsible ownership
→ Owners pay taxes annually, which raises awareness of lifelong care.

💡 Point: In Germany, animals are protected by law as "living beings," not as "property".

2. Sweden 🇸🇪 (A country advancing pet welfare and coexistence)

✅ Pet shops barely exist
→ It is common to adopt from breeders or rescue facilities.
✅ Mandatory pet health management
→ Leaving dogs or cats alone for more than 6 hours is prohibited (stipulated by law as an owner's responsibility).
✅ Strict enforcement against animal abuse
→ Animal abuse is punished as a crime (up to 2 years in prison).
✅ As a pet-advanced country, research into animal ethology is progressing
→ Positive reinforcement training is the mainstream, and punishment-based training is prohibited.

💡 Point: In Sweden, the "qualifications for owning an animal" are strictly managed.

3. United Kingdom 🇬🇧 (A country with a long history of animal welfare)

✅ Established the world's first animal protection organization (1824)
→ The **RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)** was founded, laying the foundation for animal protection activities.
✅ Animal Welfare Act is thoroughly enforced
→ Inappropriate care can lead to a ban on keeping animals (up to a lifetime ban on pet ownership).
✅ Regulations on animal testing and breeding businesses have been strengthened
→ Crackdowns on unscrupulous breeders (puppy mills) have been intensified.
✅ Environment is set up to spend time with pets in public spaces
→ There are many pubs, cafes, and trains that allow dogs.

💡 Key point: The UK is one of the countries in the world that most respects "pet rights".

4. Netherlands 🇳🇱 (Achieved "zero stray dogs" for the first time in the world)

✅ Almost no stray dogs or cats exist
→ Thorough implementation of the "TNVR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return)" policy.
✅ Pet trading is strictly restricted
→ Live animal sales are prohibited in pet shops (adoption of rescued animals is the mainstream).
✅ Strict animal protection laws exist
→ The maximum penalty for animal abuse is 3 years in prison plus a fine of approximately 10 million yen.
✅ Creating an environment where it is easy to live with pets
→ Pets are allowed on public transportation.

💡 Key point: It is attracting attention as a country that has achieved "zero abandoned dogs".

5. France 🇫🇷 (A country that recognized animals as "sentient beings")

✅ Legally specified that "animals are not objects, but sentient beings"
→ With the 2015 civil code revision, the legal status of pets is no longer "property".
✅ Strict regulations on unscrupulous breeders and pet shops
→ Animal abuse carries a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison plus a fine of 30,000 euros (approx. 4.5 million yen).
✅ Many policies prioritize pet welfare
→ Many cafes and restaurants allow pets to accompany their owners.
✅ Stricter penalties for pet abandonment
→ In France, over 100,000 dogs and cats were abandoned every year, but now strict crackdowns are being carried out.

💡 Key point: In France, there is a strong movement to protect pet rights just like human rights.

Summary

Countries called "pet-advanced" prioritize animal welfare and realize the coexistence of pets and people through laws and social systems.

📌 Countries with strict animal welfare laws
✅ Germany (Zero culling, Tierheim system)
✅ UK (Animal Welfare Act, emphasis on pet rights)

📌 Countries with strict pet shop regulations
✅ Sweden (Almost no pet shops, strict breeding standards)
✅ Netherlands (Pet trading restrictions, zero stray dog policy)

📌 Countries that treat animals as "lives"
✅ France (Legally recognized as "sentient beings")

Japan is still often considered a pet-developing country, but it is hoped that animal welfare will advance further by referring to the movements in these countries.

① Culling is still being carried out

🔴 Thousands of dogs and cats are culled every year
→ Although this has decreased compared to the past, in fiscal year 2022, the number of dogs and cats culled was approximately 20,000 (Ministry of the Environment).
→ Compared to Germany (zero culling) and the Netherlands (zero stray dogs), Japan is lagging behind.
→ At public health centers and animal welfare centers, some dogs and cats are culled once their time limit expires.

💡 In developed countries, animal shelters are well-equipped, and many do not perform culling. Expanding shelters is also a challenge for Japan.

② The sale of live animals in pet shops continues

🔴 Japan is one of the few countries in the world where dogs and cats are sold in pet shops
→ In Western developed countries, the sale of live animals in pet shops is prohibited (e.g., Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK).
→ In Japan, even now, dogs and cats are lined up in display cases, and if they don't sell, they are disposed of or auctioned off.
→ Unscrupulous breeders (puppy mills) mass-breed animals in poor environments and supply them to pet shops.

💡 In the West, adopting rescued dogs and cats is the norm, whereas in Japan, the perception that "pets = products" remains strong.

③ Animal welfare laws are lagging behind

🔴 Japan's Act on Welfare and Management of Animals is still insufficient
→ It was revised in 2019 to introduce an 8-week age regulation for the sale of dogs and cats (prohibiting the sale of those under 56 days old), but many issues remain.
→ Penalties for animal abuse have been strengthened, but actual prosecutions are rare.
→ The legal concept that "animals are human property (possessions)" remains deeply rooted.

💡 In many developed countries, laws define animals as sentient beings rather than objects (e.g., France, Switzerland).

④ Abandonment and abuse of dogs and cats are common

🔴 More than 70,000 dogs and cats are abandoned every year
→ Many owners easily abandon their pets because they "can no longer take care of them."
→ Abuse cases are also frequent, and "exposing" them on online videos and social media is increasing.
→ Much of the rescue work relies on individual volunteers (government support is insufficient).

💡 In developed countries, there are strict penalties for abandonment, but in Japan, the penalties are still lenient.

⑤ Pet living environments are inadequate

🔴 Japan has limited living space for pets
→ Many households live in collective housing (apartments/condos) and cannot secure large spaces.
→ As a result, "long-term confinement in small cages" and "lack of exercise" are prone to occur.
→ The development of pet-friendly facilities and public transportation is also lagging.

💡 In many countries abroad, you can take dogs on trains and buses, but there are many restrictions in Japan.

⑥ The mindset of treating pets as "possessions" rather than "family"

🔴 Old values such as "dogs belong in doghouses" and "cats should be kept outside" still remain
→ In Japan, pets are often viewed as "playthings," and the awareness of them being "members of the family," as seen in the West, is weak.
→ Some people keep them as "guard dogs" or "mousers" and there are cases where they do not receive sufficient care.

💡 In the West, "lifelong care" for pets is a given, and abandoning them is not tolerated.

🌍 Summary: Why Japan is called a "pet-developing country"

1️⃣ Culling is still being carried out (zero in Germany and the Netherlands)
2️⃣ Live animal sales at pet shops continue (prohibited in Western countries)
3️⃣ Animal welfare laws are insufficient (penalties are lenient)
4️⃣ Abandonment and abuse of dogs and cats are common (low awareness)
5️⃣ Rearing environments and systems for coexistence with pets are underdeveloped
6️⃣ The mindset of treating pets as "property" is deeply rooted

While the number of people interested in animal welfare is increasing in Japan, there is still significant room for improvement in terms of laws, systems, and social awareness is the current situation.

🐶 Future challenges ✅ Enhancement of shelters toward zero culling
✅ Prohibition of live animal sales at pet shops (making the adoption of rescued dogs and cats the mainstream)
✅ Legal development for animal welfare (legally recognizing pets as "sentient beings")
✅ Raising owner awareness (making lifelong care mandatory)

For Japan to become a "pet-advanced country," a change in mindset is first needed to treat pets as "family" rather than "things."