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Some places in our world can inspire us and break our hearts at the same time. When it’s a place that houses defenceless animals for a limited period as they search for owners to love them, we can’t help but cheer wildly for the organisation on the one hand, while it takes everything to stop us from beating our fists on their chests like sobbing children when we learn that they can’t keep them all forever.

And so it is with this particular pet shelter in Japan, which refuses to sugar-coat the situation of pets in need and so posts pictures of animals in their care with an expiration date below them. If you ever needed any prompting to skip the pet store, these photos of cats, dogs, rabbits, birds and reptiles will certainly have you heading straight to the local shelter instead.

CORRECTION: The company that manages Pet Home has made contact with RocketNews24 to inform us that the ‘expiry dates’ shown on the below-mentioned website do not indicate that the animals will be euthanised. Although the site mentions that animals that are not homed are often put to sleep, the dates which appear on the Pet Home website refer only to the time left for potential adopters to apply to adopt the animals via their website—Pet Home does not euthanise any of the animals featured on its pages.

Pet Home is a matching website and not a physical shelter with animals in its care. RocketNews24 would like to apologise for any offence caused to the staff at Pet Home, and urge our readers to visit their website in order to help as many of these animals as possible find a forever home of their own.

Original story is as follows.

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Animal lover @yuki_sato6021 posted the following tweet on July 8, urging future pet owners to visit the Petto no Uchi (Pet Home) website before going to the pet store. Since then, his tweet with the Twitter-blue tear has been re-tweeted more than 48,000 times.

With branches around the country, Pet Home specialises in connecting animals with foster parents. Unfortunately, it’s impossible for the organisation to care for the animals forever, so each pet comes with an expiry date. If they’re unable to find a suitable owner by this time, the animal will be euthanized.

▼ This pup is one of the lucky ones. With an expiry date of September 31, he’s received an application from a prospective parent.

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While the unfortunate practice of euthanization is in line with other animal shelters around the world, what’s really pulling at people’s heartstrings in Japan is the fact that those with just days left flash red on the website, with messages like “six days left” or “foster parent deadline is today”.

▼ The sad truth of pet shelters: #75216 has until the day after tomorrow, #75215 has six days remaining and #75210’s deadline is today.

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These are some of the pets most in need, with only days remaining to find a parent. If you or anyone you know is looking to adopt a pet, please pass the information on and ask them to get in touch with Pet Home. Warning: some readers may find these images distressing.

▼ With five days left, this kitten is available from the Setagaya branch in Tokyo for 16,000 yen (US$130.28)

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▼ With just three days left, a good owner with 20,000 yen ($162.85) will save this dog’s life in Aichi Prefecture.

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▼ This two-year-old budgerigar is waiting at the Adachi Ward branch in Tokyo.

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▼ You can find a handful of tiny Forest Green Tree Frogs in Osaka.

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As of this writing, Pet Home has received 63,592 animals and successfully found owners for 39,623. While this is a figure they’re striving to improve upon, the news isn’t all bleak. Thousands of animals like the ones below have been saved and are now living with loving parents.

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Whether they’re cute or plain-looking, too old to walk or too young to know better, all animals deserve happiness and a loving owner. In a pet-loving country like Japan, we’re hoping the popularity of shelters like Pet Home continue to grow and provide guidance to parents-to-be.

Source and images: @yuki_sato6021, Pet Home