Tuesday
Dec062011
Pets to be rescued from Fukushima zone but only if owner requests it
Animal welfare groups will be allowed into the 12-mile exclusion zone around the stricken Fukushima-Daiichi reactors to rescue pets, but only if the owners requested it. Under frustratingly restrictive conditions, groups cannot pull any animal they see in need but only if permission has been granted by the owners, challenging rescuers to identify these animals many of whom are now semi-feral. Rescuers will be limited to 5-hour stints or less in the zone to avoid harmful health effects.