Kanagawa Children's Medical Center's Hospital Facility Dog®︎ "Annie" Retires
Hospital Facility Dog "Annie," who has supported children at Kanagawa Children's Medical Center since September 2017, is retiring at age 10. Having brought smiles to over 17,000 children, Annie's retirement marks the end of a significant chapter in animal-assisted therapy for pediatric care in the region.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 20:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 9, 2026 at 11:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 10:57 (263h 27m after Collected)
Certified NPO Shine On Kids (Chairperson: Kimberly Forsyth, https://sokids.org/ja/), which supports children with pediatric cancer and serious illnesses, is promoting the introduction of Hospital Facility Dogs®︎ active in children's hospitals. This time, "Annie," who has been active at Kanagawa Children's Medical Center since September 2017, has reached her 10th birthday and will be retiring.
*Hospital Facility Dog®︎ is a registered trademark of Shine On Kids.
Annie the Hospital Facility Dog (10 years old, female) was born in 2016. After receiving training at "Assistance Dogs of Hawaii," she took over from the first Facility Dog, Bailey, and commenced her duties at Kanagawa Children's Medical Center (http://kcmc.kanagawa-pho.jp) in September 2017. As a member of the hospital staff, she, along with her handler Yuko Morita, has brought smiles to many children.
With her cheerful personality and ability to bring a bright atmosphere, Annie is a popular figure on the ward. The number of children Annie has met at the hospital to date exceeds a cumulative total of 17,000. Numerous voices have been received, such as, "I was able to endure my tests thanks to Annie," "My hospital stay was enjoyable because Annie was there," and "Annie was the best medicine."
*Hospital Facility Dog®︎ is a registered trademark of Shine On Kids.
Annie the Hospital Facility Dog (10 years old, female) was born in 2016. After receiving training at "Assistance Dogs of Hawaii," she took over from the first Facility Dog, Bailey, and commenced her duties at Kanagawa Children's Medical Center (http://kcmc.kanagawa-pho.jp) in September 2017. As a member of the hospital staff, she, along with her handler Yuko Morita, has brought smiles to many children.
With her cheerful personality and ability to bring a bright atmosphere, Annie is a popular figure on the ward. The number of children Annie has met at the hospital to date exceeds a cumulative total of 17,000. Numerous voices have been received, such as, "I was able to endure my tests thanks to Annie," "My hospital stay was enjoyable because Annie was there," and "Annie was the best medicine."