A child meets Miko, a hospital facility dog in training, during a demonstration at Hyogo Prefectural Children's Hospital. (Courtesy of NPO Shine On! Kids)
Efforts to introduce hospital facility dogs are gradually expanding across Japan. These dogs are specially trained to be stationed in hospitals to support children with serious illnesses and their families.
Although securing funding remains a major challenge, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital plans to launch the program by 2027. It has already obtained the necessary funds through a crowdfunding campaign held in 2025.
The hospital is expected to become the first pediatric specialty hospital in western Japan to adopt the program. A physician involved in the initiative hopes the program will help patients and their families feel more at ease.
The hospital opened in 1970 as Japan's second pediatric specialty hospital. It also serves as a designated center for childhood cancer care. For many years, doctors and staff have supported children and families who face long hospital stays while battling serious illnesses.
Looking for a way to help children feel emotionally supported and approach treatment more positively, physicians proposed introducing hospital facility dogs after learning about successful programs in other prefectures.
How Dogs Help
Hospital facility dogs work alongside handlers who are medical professionals with clinical experience. The dogs are trained from a young age to become comfortable in hospital settings and usually come to the hospital each day. Handlers share patient information with physicians during conferences and discuss how the dogs can best support each child.
The dogs may lie beside children in their hospital beds, provide comfort during medication or IV treatments, accompany them on the way to the operating room, and stay with them during procedures such as bone marrow aspiration.
Costs and Implementation
Introducing the program requires about ¥160 million JPY (around $1.04 million USD) in initial costs, including handler training and dog care, followed by approximately ¥120 million in annual operating expenses. In May 2025, the hospital launched a crowdfunding campaign with a target of ¥20 million. Despite the ambitious goal, it was reached in just 11 days, and a total of about ¥45 million was eventually raised.
The hospital is now preparing operational manuals and working through logistical details for implementation.
Noriko Sekiguchi, head of psychiatry and leader of the hospital's dog program, said, "For children who are constantly surrounded by adults in the hospital, a dog becomes a companion they can interact with as an equal, even giving commands during play."
She added, "This boosts their self-esteem. Creating joyful memories in the hospital may help them approach treatment more positively."
According to Shine On! Kids, a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization that trains and dispatches hospital facility dogs, Shizuoka Children's Hospital became the first hospital in Japan to introduce the program in 2010.
Currently, four dogs are working at four hospitals in Tokyo, Kanagawa, and other regions. The University of Tsukuba Hospital is also preparing to introduce the program. In the Kansai region, both Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital and Osaka City General Hospital are seeking donations to support implementation.
Feedback on Impact
In a joint study conducted by the NPO and participating hospitals, more than 70% of approximately 270 medical professionals and hospital staff reported major benefits from the dogs' activities. They cited "impact on end-of-life palliative care" and "greater ease in gaining patient cooperation."
It was also reported that children who had previously said procedures were too painful found the courage to go through them when a dog was by their side.
Natsuko Murata, a researcher at the organization, said, "They were highly valued as a presence that gently supports children in moments when it is hard to feel positive, such as before surgery."
One child told the NPO, "When I was suddenly hospitalized and felt completely in the dark, the time I spent with the facility dog was the one bright, special moment for me."
The organization has also received feedback that in palliative care, a dog's presence during family time helps soften the atmosphere.
"Medical staff sometimes struggle with what to say to encourage patients, but facility dogs' silence can actually be their strength," Murata noted. "We feel strong demand from across the country and want to build a system that allows for smooth provision. I hope it becomes normal for any hospital that wants one to have a hospital facility dog."
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
