Following a strong local request to allow people to move their livestock out of the evacuation area, the government is making arrangements to conduct blanket testing of cows and other domestic animals.
In a Breaking News Update the Japanese Government will be sending a team of veterinarians into the exclusion Zone to check on the state of the animals. They will be calling contacting owners as they visit the farms where the livestock have been kept to ask permission to Euthanize any animals that are sick and dying. All animals found dead or that have to be put down will be covered with lime powder in order to stop the spread of disease as they will not have time to bury them and cremating them in the open could spread disease and radiation.
Farmers in the area were estimated to have left 3,000 cows, 130,000 pigs and 680,000 chickens behind when they hurriedly fled the area last month when the nuclear crisis started. Not all animals have been without food and water during this time as some farmers stayed with their animals or made regular trips to the Exclusion Zone to feed them what they could. Unfortunately some farmers have been confirmed dead and others are still missing.