A visit from a gentle dog can make a difficult day feel brighter. In Hong Kong, the Hong Kong therapy dog programme run by Animals Asia is so popular that visits are booked until February 2027. Its Dr Dog and Professor Paws services rely on one staff member and 65 volunteers with their dogs. Requests from schools, hospitals and elderly homes exceed the number of visits the team can offer.
Why The Programme Matters
Dr Dog began in Hong Kong in 1991, when Animals Asia founder Jill Robinson took her golden retriever, Max, to visit patients at Duchess of Kent Hospital. Today, suitable dogs visit hospitals, care homes, schools and other community spaces, offering comfort and company. Professor Paws, launched in Hong Kong in 2004, teaches schoolchildren how to approach dogs safely and care for animals with kindness and respect.
The dogs are not trained just for these visits. Animals Asia checks their behaviour and temperament before accepting them, to help keep both dogs and people comfortable and safe.
Small Moments, Lasting Memories
Volunteer Jacqueline Kwan said some children are scared when they first meet a dog. On later visits, they may become confident enough to touch and interact with it. By the third or fourth meeting, some remember the dogs by name. At one Christmas gathering, a child asked where George, one of Kwan’s dogs, was.
For volunteers, these moments make the work worthwhile. But each visit takes planning. Dog guardians, venue staff and participants must coordinate, while privacy and consent rules can limit how many outside volunteers may join.
The Hidden Cost of Helping
Volunteers also pay much of the cost of getting their dogs around the city. Because dogs face restrictions on much of Hong Kong’s public transport, taxis are often needed. Animals Asia’s animal welfare education manager, Karina O’Carroll, said volunteers spent about HK40,000ontransportin2025.TheorganisationrepaidHK28,000.
The programmes receive many requests from companies seeking one-off volunteering visits. O’Carroll said regular volunteers are more useful because venue space is limited and people need training.
The team is a finalist in the teamwork category of the 2026 Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, organised by Sino Group and the South China Morning Post. Yet demand leaves little room to expand: O’Carroll remains the only staff member running both programmes.
The message goes beyond a friendly meeting with a dog. Professor Paws also teaches children that animals are living beings that need care, time and responsibility. O’Carroll says Hong Kong must learn to share space and live responsibly alongside animals.
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