ARK — Animal Refuge Kansai

Animal Refuge Kansai (ARK) was founded in Osaka in 1990 by Elizabeth Oliver, who remains its CEO. It is funded entirely by donations, and around 20 staff and a team of volunteers care for the animals. Its mission rests on four foundations: physical and mental care with socialisation training for every animal, neutering to prevent unwanted births, education programmes for children, and its shelter facilities.

ARK has three locations. Osaka ARK, in the hills of Nose-cho north of Osaka, is the flagship shelter and currently home to both dogs and cats. Sasayama ARK in Hyogo began rehoming when its first kennel block was completed in 2014. Tokyo ARK, founded in 2005, has no shelter building and rehomes animals through a network of foster families. ARK holds regular adoption fairs in the Kansai and Kanto regions, including Kobe and Tokyo. After the January 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake it took in dogs and cats from owners in Ishikawa Prefecture who could no longer keep them.

To adopt, you fill in ARK’s online questionnaire; staff then contact you and arrange an interview with all members of the household, at the office or an adoption event, before you meet the animals. Renters are asked to bring proof that pets are allowed, and ARK may ask for photos of the home and garden fencing. Volunteers can help at the Nose and Sasayama shelters with socialising animals, dog walking, cleaning and events (apply by email between the 10th and 20th of the month before), and Tokyo ARK is always looking for foster homes.

ARK has held certified (nintei) NPO status from Osaka Prefecture since 2 May 2016, so donations of more than ¥2,000 a year are tax-deductible in Japan. You can donate online by card or PayPal (minimum ¥1,000), by Japan Post or bank transfer, become a Paw Member or sponsor an animal. The Osaka office is open 10:00–16:00 and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.