University of Tsukuba Hospital to Introduce Working Dog Next Year, Plans to Seek Contributions from Public

By Eri Shimamura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

2:00 JST, February 27, 2026

MITO — The University of Tsukuba Hospital in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, plans in April next year to employ a working dog to keep hospitalized children company during treatment and examinations so that they feel less anxious.

It will be the first time in Japan for a national university-affiliated hospital to utilize a working dog. The dog is expected to be a member of the medical team.

“We have decided to hire a new, capable staff member,” said hospital Director Yuji Hiramatsu at a regular news conference at the University of Tsukuba in late January.

Hiramatsu introduced the dog, which sat upright alongside the university president and others. It demonstrated its skills by resting its face on someone’s lap, a sight that immediately put everybody in the room at ease.

Such dogs are stationed at specific facilities. According to Shine On! Kids, a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization that trains and promotes the dogs in Japan, the animals were first introduced in U.S. courtrooms and elsewhere around 2000. They have since spread worldwide to courtrooms, hospitals and special needs schools.

In Japanese hospitals, the dogs began to be used at Shizuoka Children’s Hospital in 2010. There are also working dogs at hospitals in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture.

The University of Tsukuba Hospital is designated as a hospital providing advanced medical care. It has a pediatric ward with about 50 beds and a neonatal intensive care unit, where children with serious illnesses, such as cancer and other intractable diseases, come from across the country.

“If a facility dog joins the medical team to provide emotional support, I believe children at the hospital will surely have the increased strength needed to overcome their illnesses,” said Hiramatsu, who works with children going through tough treatments. “[Dogs] possess a mysterious power that words cannot express.”

The hospital plans to have one dog — either a Labrador Retriever, a Golden Retriever, or a mix of both breeds, which are known to be calm and intelligent. A candidate dog is currently undergoing training at a hospital where another dog is already on staff.

However, significant financial challenges remain. Initial costs of about ¥7 million will be needed to prepare spaces for the dogs and to train nurses to work as handlers. In addition, annual costs of about ¥12 million will be needed to cover personnel expenses, vaccinations and training.

Today, many hospitals affiliated with national universities are operating at a loss. To help solve this problem, the University of Tsukuba Hospital decided to raise ¥22 million through crowdfunding, which will be accepted via the hospital’s dedicated website from March 4 to May 1. It also receives support from locally based Sekisho Corp. and others.

“We must not forget the importance of being warm when providing healthcare, as that’s what heals children’s hearts,” said Hiramatsu. “We would sincerely like to ask for your support and cooperation.”