TOKYO Kyodo, a 46-year-old former dog breeder in western Tokyo, has been arrested for alleged neglect of 10 dogs, police said Wednesday. The number of animals he was taking care of had reached over 150.
Takashi Ogawa, who lives in Hachioji, had been breeding and selling dogs such as Shiba Inu and Kai Ken, which are designated as national treasures. Between December and January, he is believed to have caused the 10 dogs to suffer from neglect in violation of the animal welfare law.
The Metropolitan Police Department believes that he may have ended up with too many dogs to raise, making him unable to provide adequate care.
Ogawa began breeding dogs in February 2010. At one point, he had about 170 animals and at least 15 dead, according to the police.
About 100 dogs were found when the police searched Ogawa's house in January this year, with some of them apparently not getting enough water and food with their ribs visible. Some dogs were kept together in a small cage.
There is a high demand for puppies, but once they grow up they don't sell well. Ogawa was quoted as saying that the dogs exceeded the number I could handle.