As Masa, a Labrador retriever, entered a pediatric hospital ward in Tokyo, Japan, children’s eyes lit up at the dog. A facility dog, Masa is a specially trained animal that supports children hospitalized for extended periods or awaiting organ transplants. The dogs work alongside medical staff at a limited number of hospitals in Japan. They interact with patients according to individualized treatment plans, offering moments of normalcy to children who rarely leave the ward. READ: DSWD taps ‘Dr. Dogs’ for abused children, PWDs Although facility dogs were introduced to Japan about 15 years ago, their use remains limited, largely because of […]... Keep on reading: ‘Dr. Dogs’: Japan hospital dogs bring smiles to seriously ill children