TOKYO - A former breeder in Saitama Prefecture has been arrested on suspicion of killing dogs that were deemed non-reproductive by sealing them in bags.
Yukio Watanabe, 81, was arrested on June 27 on charges of violating the Animal Welfare Act. In May, a search was conducted at his home in Moroyama Town, Saitama.
The investigation began following a tip-off in August 2023, alleging that the breeder had starved dogs he deemed non-reproductive and sealed them in cages to kill them. During the search, three dogs were found dead in cages.
The dogs, including Pomeranians and Toy Poodles, were suspected to have been suffocated by being enclosed in sealed cages.
The following exchange occurred during the search:
Investigator: "It seems out of touch with public standards. You wouldn’t tell the animal control people about this method, would you?"
Watanabe: "There’s not much need to ask them (the animal control)."
Investigator: "Have they ever asked you about it?"
Watanabe: "No, never."
Investigator: "Including costs for feed and waste disposal?"
Watanabe: "That costs around 150,000 to 300,000 yen."
Investigator: "From the sales?"
Watanabe: "Without it, I couldn’t manage."
Watanabe, who sold puppies at auction sites, reportedly earned about 27 million yen in 2022. Prior to his arrest, he had admitted in voluntary questioning that keeping non-reproductive dogs alive was costly and that he had killed them to take responsibility for their fate.
At Watanabe's breeding facility, around 180 dogs, including breeding dogs and puppies for sale, were kept. Police rescued 17 dogs in poor health.
Following the search, Watanabe filed for business closure and abandoned the care of the rescued dogs.
On June 27, Watanabe was arrested on suspicion of suffocating three dogs. He admitted to sealing one dog in a plastic bag while it was still alive but denied that the other two were alive at the time, partially denying the charges.
Source: FNN
