FEATURE: Japan's hospital dogs bring moments of normalcy to seriously ill children

As a Labrador retriever named Masa entered a pediatric hospital ward in Tokyo, children's eyes lit up.Masa is a facility dog, 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.Although facility dogs were introduced to Japan about 15 years ago, their use remains limited, largely because of cost.In October, Masa …READ FULL ARTICLE