Facility Dogs Comfort Hospitalized Children in Japan

Newsfrom Japan

Society

Jan 6, 2026 09:30 (JST)

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Some medical institutions in Japan have begun introducing facility dogs to accompany hospitalized children during treatment and rehabilitation, easing the anxiety of being away from their families.

With high costs posing a challenge, some hospitals are turning to crowdfunding to introduce facility dogs, widely used in the United States and other countries, with retrievers being the preferred breed due to their gentle nature.

Unlike therapy dogs, which visit hospitals and interact with patients on a limited basis, facility dogs are assigned to hospitals and work with handlers who have completed specialist training.

The dogs accompany children undergoing surgery and assist with rehabilitation through play.

According to Shine On! Kids, a certified nonprofit organization in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward, a facility dog was first introduced in Japan in 2010 by Shizuoka Children’s Hospital.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Jiji Press