Taiwan's 1st hospital therapy dog honored with retirement ceremony

Taipei, Sept. 16 (CNA) Taiwan's first hospital-based therapy dog was honored with a medal and a retirement ceremony at Taipei Veterans General Hospital on Tuesday after ending six years of service comforting terminally ill patients and their families.

More than 40 former patients and their family members along with over 50 of the hospital's staff turned out to wish the 10-year-old black Labrador, Oba (歐巴), who had served on the hospital's Hospice and Palliative Care Unit since 2019, a happy retirement.

The hospital let Oba keep his ID card, awarded him a medal, gave him the title of "lifelong volunteer," and passed on his role to a three-year-old dog named Olga (歐佳).

At the ceremony, hospital superintendent Chen Wei-ming (陳威明) said Oba was "always there for those who needed comfort," noting that his calm temperament allowed him to go almost anywhere in the hospital except operating rooms.

Chen recalled once getting scolded for allowing dogs in hospital elevators shortly after Oba began his work in February 2019.

However, he said he believes therapy dogs help people become more understanding of one another and make the hospital feel "warmer," which is also why he arranged for another dog to take Oba's place.

"It is something we should do," Chen said.

Speaking about Oba's retirement, he said he felt sad to see the dog go, as he had always loved dogs and even thought about adopting Oba, but ultimately decided to leave him with his current caretaker, nurse Liu Hsiao-ching (劉曉菁).

Liu said that although Oba has retired, she may still occasionally bring him to the hospital in his new volunteer role, giving people the chance to see him again.