take back

福島源発周辺の警戒区域に残されたペットを飼い主が「引き取る」かどうかを政府が調査に乗り出すことになりました。NHKでは「引き取る」は、take backを使っています。（Minnesota）

Govt. to survey Fukushima disaster zone pet owners

The Japanese government plans to ask evacuees from around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to decide whether they will take back pets they were forced to leave behind.

The Environment Ministry picked up about 750 dogs and cats in the no-entry zone and transported them to safety after the disaster. The pets were abandoned when their owners were ordered to evacuate in March last year.

Some animals have since been returned to their owners, but about 300 remain unclaimed. This is because some owners fear their pets may be contaminated with radiation. Others say they cannot afford to keep pets while living in shelters.

Several hundred more dogs and cats are believed to still remain in the no-entry zone.

The ministry and Fukushima Prefecture have decided to ask some 1,000 former pet owners by phone or mail if they intend to take back their animals. The survey could start as early as this month.

If owners refuse, officials will look for other people to adopt the pets. They also plan to search for missing pets in the no-entry zone.