Animal Welfare and Pearl Soap
— The Ethics of "Thank You for Being Here"

*This essay is an academic exploration and does not endorse any specific animal welfare organization or practice.

1. The Origin of the Name "Pearl"

The "Pearl" in Pearl Soap is the name of Takuya Sato's beloved dog, the founder of TokiStorage.

Pearl had been a member of the family since 2007 and passed away in 2025. Sato placed Pearl's hyoid bone in a seashell, added a four-leaf clover and flower petals his daughter had gathered, and sealed them in epoxy resin to create a "portable grave." This became the origin of TokiStorage and the source of the Pearl Soap name.

What is embedded in the paw-shaped soap is the sentiment "Thank you for being here." This message is directed not only at humans but also at the animals who shared our lives.

2. A History of Animal Welfare Thought — "They Can Suffer"

Animal welfare philosophy has developed alongside modern thought.

Bentham's Question

Jeremy Bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, addressed the moral status of animals in his 1789 work.

"The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?"

— Jeremy Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789)

This question became the starting point for debates on animal rights. The argument that sentience — the capacity to feel pain — is the basis for moral consideration remains the foundation of animal welfare legislation today.

Singer's "Animal Liberation"

In 1975, philosopher Peter Singer published Animal Liberation and introduced the concept of speciesism. He argued that dismissing the suffering of beings simply because they belong to a different species is no more ethically justifiable than racism or sexism.

Singer's argument brought about a paradigm shift: viewing animals not as "property" but as "subjects of moral consideration."

Regan's "Animal Rights"

Tom Regan took a different approach from utilitarianism in arguing for animal rights. He argued that animals are "subjects-of-a-life" — beings with beliefs, desires, perception, memory, and emotions — and therefore possess inherent value.

Regan's concept of "subject-of-a-life" supports the idea that animals, too, have a proof of existence. Animals are not mere objects; there is value in the very fact that they are alive.

3. Human-Animal Coexistence — The Age of Companion Animals

In modern society, pets are being redefined from "playthings" to "companion animals."

Pets as Family

According to the Japan Pet Food Association's survey (2024), approximately 6.84 million dogs and 9.07 million cats are kept as pets in Japan. The majority of owners consider their pets "members of the family."

Being recognized as family means that their existence is treated as irreplaceable. An irreplaceable being — that is precisely what qualifies as a subject of proof of existence.

The Anthrozoological Perspective

Anthrozoology is an interdisciplinary field that studies human-animal interactions. Research in this field demonstrates that relationships with pets profoundly affect human physical and psychological health.

• Oxytocin release: When dogs and their owners gaze at each other, oxytocin (the attachment hormone) levels rise in both parties (Nagasawa et al., 2015)
• Stress reduction: Physical contact with pets lowers cortisol (the stress hormone)
• Social connection: Walking a dog increases opportunities for interaction with neighbors
• Alleviating loneliness: For elderly people living alone, pets serve as vital social companions

These studies show that animals are not mere "possessions" but co-habitants whose very existence gives meaning to human life.

4. Pet Loss and the Absence of Existence

If an animal's existence is irreplaceable to its human companion, then its loss brings profound grief.

Disenfranchised Grief

Kenneth Doka introduced the concept of "disenfranchised grief" — grief that society does not fully recognize or validate. Pet loss is a form of grief that is often not socially sanctioned. "It was just a pet." "You can get another one." Such remarks further isolate those in mourning.

But there is no "legitimate" or "illegitimate" grief when it comes to losing a beloved being. The depth of pet loss directly reflects the depth of the relationship.

The Problem of Records and Memory

When a human dies, social systems for recording existence abound: family registries, gravestones, memorial tablets, photographs, and personal effects. For animals, virtually no such systems exist.

What remains after a pet's death is mostly photographs and the owner's memories. Those memories, too, vanish when the owner dies. Animal existence is, even more than human existence, prone to being forgotten.

5. The Meaning of the Paw Shape

There are multiple layers of meaning in Pearl Soap's paw shape.

The Paw as a Bodily Trace

Among all parts of an animal's body, paw pads are uniquely associated with touch. Anyone who has felt a dog's or cat's paw pads remembers their distinctive softness and warmth.

When someone picks up a paw-shaped bar of soap, the tactile sensation evokes memories of the animal. This operates on the same principle as handprints and footprints in early childhood education — body shapes function as traces of existence.

"Thank You for Being Here" Across Species

Pearl Soap's message, "Thank you for being here," was originally directed at Pearl the dog. But this phrase transcends the boundary between species.

When giving a paw-shaped soap, the giver says, "Thank you for being here." Each time the recipient holds the soap, they recall the giver. And the paw shape evokes not only human presence but animal presence as well.

A single bar of soap becomes a medium connecting humans and animals, givers and receivers, multiple beings.

The Ethics of "Cute"

The "cute" reaction to paw pads is more than mere sentimentality. Drawing on Konrad Lorenz's concept of the "baby schema" (Kindchenschema), the sensation of "cuteness" is an innate response that prompts caregiving behavior.

The reason paw-shaped soap feels "cute" is that it evokes feelings of attachment and protectiveness toward animals. The sensation of "cuteness" may be the most primordial form of animal welfare.

6. Animal Welfare Legislation in Japan

Japan's Act on Welfare and Management of Animals was enacted in 1973 and has undergone several amendments.

The Law's Philosophy

Article 1 of the Act states its purpose: to deepen public awareness of animal welfare, to prevent harm to human life, body, and property caused by animals, and to "realize a society where humans and animals coexist."

The phrase "a society where humans and animals coexist" is noteworthy. It positions animals not merely as objects of management but as beings who share in the fabric of society.

The 2019 Amendment and Stricter Penalties

The 2019 amendment significantly strengthened penalties for animal cruelty. Penalties for killing or injuring animals were raised to "imprisonment of up to 5 years or a fine of up to 5 million yen." This reflects a growing legal recognition of the weight of animal existence.

Mandatory Microchipping

Since June 2022, microchip implantation has been mandatory for dogs and cats. A microchip records a 15-digit individual identification number. This is, quite literally, an animal's "identification" — proof of existence.

The fact that legislation now requires individual identification and proof of existence for animals reflects a social shift: redefining animals from "replaceable property" to "unique beings."

7. Taking Responsibility for Animals' Proof of Existence

Animals cannot create their own records. The proof of an animal's existence can only be undertaken by humans.

Photographs and Video — Digital Records

Modern pet owners amass vast quantities of photographs and videos. Social media overflows with hashtags like #dogsofinstagram and #catsofinstagram. However, these digital records face the risk of disappearing with the end of services or abandonment of accounts.

Calling Their Name — Voice Records

The sound of an owner calling their pet's name is one of the most personal forms of proof of existence. Yet voices vanish unless recorded. When the sound of an owner calling "Pearl" is etched into quartz glass, it becomes a proof of existence that reaches 1,000 years into the future.

Remains and Belongings — Physical Records

A pet's remains, collar, favorite toy — these persist as physical proof of existence. Sato's creation of a "portable grave" by encasing Pearl's hyoid bone in a seashell is the most direct form of material proof of existence.

8. Where Pearl Soap Meets Animal Welfare

Pearl Soap is not an animal welfare initiative. Yet the sentiment at its core resonates deeply with animal welfare.

Gratitude for Existence

At the heart of animal welfare lies respect for the very existence of animals. Pearl Soap's message, "Thank you for being here," expresses precisely this respect.

When someone receives a soap and, through its paw shape, thinks of animals and directs the feeling of "thank you for being here" toward their own pet or animals in their life — such a chain of awareness may emerge.

The Cycle of Consumption and Memory

Soap disappears with use. But each time it is used, the paw shape is felt, and animal existence is recalled. Consumption repeatedly reactivates memory — this is a mechanism for sustaining awareness of animal existence in daily life.

Workshops and Education

In Pearl Soap workshops, participants make paw-shaped soap with their own hands. For children, this experience can spark awareness of animal existence. "Why is it shaped like a paw?" "Who was Pearl?" — such questions may nurture interest in and affection for animals.

Through the Ambassador Program, as workshops spread to communities across the country, they also help cultivate a culture of gratitude for animal existence.

9. Multiple Perspectives — Animal Welfare and Pearl Soap

Let us examine the relationship between animal welfare and Pearl Soap from several perspectives.

Utilitarian Perspective

From a Singerian utilitarian standpoint, what matters is minimizing suffering. Pearl Soap does not directly reduce animal suffering, but by heightening sensitivity to animal existence, it may indirectly contribute to improved animal welfare.

Rights-Based Perspective

From a Reganian rights perspective, animals possess inherent rights as "subjects-of-a-life." The paw shape of Pearl Soap visually evokes the idea that animals are subjects-of-a-life. It is not a claim of rights, but an expression of existential acknowledgment.

Ethics of Care Perspective

From the ethics of care articulated by Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings, the foundation of morality lies not in abstract rights or duties, but in attentiveness within concrete relationships. Pearl Soap expresses care within the concrete relationship captured by "Thank you for being here." In this sense, Pearl Soap is the materialization of an ethics of care.

Critical Perspective

However, the following critiques should also be considered:

• Paw-shaped soap represents only "cute animals" and does not treat all animals equally
• The focus on pets' proof of existence may be the flip side of indifference toward livestock and wild animals
• Humans creating "proof of existence" on behalf of animals may ultimately be anthropocentric

These critiques are valid, and Pearl Soap does not embody the entirety of animal welfare. However, the fact that a sentiment born from love for a single dog has been elevated into a universal message of gratitude for existence deserves recognition.

10. TokiStorage's Role — Preserving Animal Existence for 1,000 Years

TokiStorage is a service that preserves human proof of existence on a 1,000-year scale. But there is no reason animal proof of existence cannot be included.

Engraving Pet Records

Including pet photographs in family records. Writing a pet's name into the family tree. Etching the sound of an owner calling their pet's name via TokiQR code — all of these are technically possible.

From Pearl Soap to TokiStorage

When someone receives a Pearl Soap and resonates with its message, they may want to preserve records of their own cherished beings — whether human or animal. This is the connection from Pearl Soap to TokiStorage.

A consumable soap and an eternal piece of quartz glass. One carries "today's gratitude"; the other carries "a 1,000-year record." But the sentiment at their root — "Thank you for being here" — is the same.

Conclusion — "Thank You" to All Beings

Animal welfare is the attitude of recognizing, respecting, and being grateful for animal existence. Pearl Soap condenses that attitude into the shape of a single paw.

Each time we hold the soap, we think of animal existence. When it is used up, the soap vanishes, but the memory remains. And the feeling of "thank you for being here" extends beyond dogs and cats to all beings with whom we share our lives.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

— Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi

Of course, not everyone needs to love animals. Allergies, phobias, cultural backgrounds, living situations — each person's relationship with animals is different. What matters is having the imagination to consider other beings' existence.

The paw of Pearl Soap is merely one doorway to that imagination. But if a sentiment that began with "thank you for being here" to a single dog can become a small step toward a society where humans and animals coexist, then it carries sufficient meaning as a proof of existence embedded in a bar of soap.