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Originally Posted by RobinMask
Is this true just for pedigrees, or are mongrels much cheaper? I just ask as I know in other countries, like UK and US, you can go to shelters and things and get dogs either free or very cheap, and even if you buy a mixed-breed as a puppy they still tend to be a lot cheaper than pure-breeds. Is Japan like this, so if someone wasn't picky they could get any animal cheap? Or is it all animals regardless of pure-breed or mixed-breed?  |
Dogs require registration and yearly fees paid on them. I think this reduces the number of stray and mixed breed dogs about.
Cats are another story altogether though. There are people trying to give away mixed breed cats at every turn and shelters have far too many to be able to ever have any chance to adopt out.
Most mix breed dogs you encounter in Japan are Shiba-mix, and are too big for most people to own. (Apartments and condos that allow pets usually have a size limit.) And as even most people who own homes do not have a lot of outdoor space, larger dogs that need room to run and that don't do well with living indoors tend to get the short end of the stick... Which is why something like 75% of the discarded puppies are large sized Shiba-mixes.
We plan to eventually have a dog, but it is a huge financial investment for anything small. There simply aren't any mix puppies available that are small enough to keep in a condo... Or if they are, they are about the same in price as a pure breed.
As for the cafes, they aren't as strange as they seem. It is usually a regular cafe with some pets running about, or in a small area off of the dining section. You watch them play (or just lie around) while you have something to eat... And then perhaps pet them.