After a meeting in the JAWS UK office, former office manager Andrew Laird (centre) is presented with a retirement gift by Dame Janet and Tony Crittenden (right)
Who We Are
Our Patron and Trustees
We are a registered charity with a Council of Management comprising of English and Japanese members. Our Chair is Anthony Crittenden, former head of the RSPCA’s Inspectorate. Our active patron is Baroness Fookes of Plymouth, who as Commons MP Dame Janet Fookes campaigned for animal welfare.
We also rely on our associated Friends of JAWS (Southampton), who raise funds for the ‘Nakafujikai ladies’; Mrs Nakajima and Mrs Fujioka, who work tirelessly to help abandoned, needy and stray cats in the Hanshin area.
Baroness Fookes of Plymouth DBE, DL, Patron
Dame Janet has been in Parliament for 45 years; firstly as a member of the House of Commons and now as a Life Peer in the House of Lords. Animal welfare has always been important to Dame Janet; she served on the RSPCA Council from 1973 to 1992, including two years as chair, and was a council member for the Dogs Trust. Dame Janet chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW) from 1985-1992 and remains an active member.
Dame Janet sponsored a Private Members’ Bill to protect animals from sales in street markets and was a keen supporter of the landmark Animal Welfare Act 2006. She currently chairs the charity that funds the Companion Animals Welfare Council.
Trustees
Anthony Crittenden
Anthea Hopkins: Hon. Treasurer
Patricia Coveney
Anthea Hopkins
Susanne O’Gara
Novelette Stewart
Mark Townson
Jitsu Townson
Emi Yokoyama
Anthony Crittenden BSc, Chair and Hon. Company Secretary
Tony trained in agriculture before joining the RSPCA’s inspectorate in 1962. He was engaged with frontline animal welfare work in Surrey, North Wales, Cheshire and Lancashire until 1995, when he transferred to the Society’s Legal department as Chief Superintendent of Prosecutions.
In 1999, Tony became the Chief Officer of the RSPCA’s inspectorate, responsible for the recruitment, training, deployment and general standards of the Society’s force of over 300 inspectors and animal welfare officers. He retired in 2003, after completing over 40 years’ service to animal welfare within the Society. Tony was invited to join JAWS UK’s Council in 2004 as Animal Welfare Adviser, following the retirement of the late Frank Milner, and became Chair of Council in 2008.
Hon. Officer of the Society (Australia)
Ashlea Haselgrove
Chair & Hon. Company Secretary
Anthony Crittenden
This friendly little dog was found in Kobe as a stray with a serious skin condition. He was nursed back to health by Constable Sotani, who has received financial support from JAWS UK, and was found a loving new owner.
A Note From Tony:
Tackling cruelty in Japan
In my experience, no single aspect of animal welfare work is more important than any other. In Japan, the everyday activities of animal rescue, veterinary treatment, care, rehabilitation and rehoming must be done alongside efforts to bring an end to the horrific cruelties inflicted on Japan’s virtually unprotected wildlife, in particular activities (which are still seen by some in Japan as traditional and therefore necessary) such as the dolphin slaughter and capture at Taiji and the continuation of international whaling.
Changing thinking
The revisions to Japan’s Act on the Welfare and Management of Animals, introduced in late 2013, include requirements for a change in attitude to animal care by both owners and authorities. In some areas, the number of unwanted pets being taken in and killed at local pounds has reduced. This is good news, but creates an extra challenge for people who take in unwanted pets but may not have adequate resources to care for them in the long term.
Legislation similar to our own – hard-won regulations for the breeding, sale and boarding of pet animals, together with a specific offence of ‘abandonment’– must be introduced in Japan as swiftly as possible.
Training needs
If these welfare improvements are to be fully realised then it’s essential that those with the power to impose the new regulations have the knowledge and training to inspect and act when required. This is why we continue to support the educational programmes initiated by JAWS Japan and the efforts for legislative change carried out by the Japan Coalition for Animal Welfare (JCAW).
Demand for change
One thing I do know is that progress is only achieved through public education, awareness and demand for change. The last couple of years have seen some promising improvements, but there is still a long way to go to bring the appreciation and standard of animal welfare in Japan more in line with present day standards.
Thank you for visiting our website and showing an interest in the work we do.
JAWS UK: dedicated to improving the lives of animals in Japan
Registered charity number: 244534
Address: Lyell House, 51 Greencoat Place, London SW1P 1DS
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Company registration number: 855624
Tel: 020 7630 5563