Japan to open first nursing home for dogs

Sportsdude · Jun 15 07 12:16

LOL!

[a href="vny!://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070614/od_afp/lifestylejapananimals_070614144845"]vny!://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070614/od_afp/lifestylejapananimals_070614144845[/a]

As Japan grapples with a rapidly ageing population, the country is set to open the first nursing home for another growing group of seniors -- dogs.

The new business opening Friday will offer the same type of nursing services available to humans but also exercise and physical therapy tailored towards canine seniors. The facility in Tochigi prefecture north of Tokyo can accept 20 dogs at a time for a monthly cost of about 100,000 yen (820 dollars) each.[/p] "It is extremely cruel to force people who think of pets as their own children to care for animals who are crying all night long," said Takao Kanai of Soladi Co., which runs the joint venture with the Endo Veterinary Clinic.[/p] Many pet owners have full-time jobs, meaning it is hard for them to care for pets with special needs, he said.[/p] "In addition, pet owners who live in condominiums often won't be able to keep their pets because of complaints by their neighbours over the noises that aged dogs make at night," he said.[/p] Soladi Co. seeks to open a total of seven such nursing homes across Japan in the coming three years.[/p] The Japanese are known for their love of dogs, with businesses flourishing in cities that offer everything from massage to spas for canine companions.[/p] Japan's human population is also rapidly ageing due to the country's famous longevity and a dwindling birthrate among young people -- some of whom would rather have dogs than children.[/p]
[img]vny!://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20070614/capt.sge.nin87.140607162418.photo00.photo.default-403x512.jpg?x=271&y=345&sig=xw_V2jKc.fmEq2IQBrkI_Q--"][/p] Copyright © 2007 [a href="vny!://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/afp/SIG=122dhv7qk/**vny!%3A%2F%2Fwww.afp.com%2Fenglish%2Flinks%2F%3Fpid%3Dcopyright" class="regs"]Agence France Presse[/a].

Lise · Jun 15 07 06:25

Why not? I love the idea of a place that takes care of our little buddies.

stretchedout · Jun 15 07 06:33

Totally stupid. What dog owner wouldn't want to care for his dog up until when you have to take it to the vet to put it to sleep? Human relatives are different!

P.C. · Jun 15 07 07:16

I think I'm with ya on that one stretchedout. If my pet has become too decrepit to be at home, he's probably too decrepit to be anywhere. If the poor mutt is 'crying all night long'....he's trying to tell you 'it's time'...not that he wants to go to a theme park. It's one of the tougher decisions in life, but it's seems less cruel than to send him to a place where it's acceptable to cry all night long. He's still crying !

ripper · Jun 15 07 08:40

I'm with you Lise. Look at the happy and content look on that little dog's face.

P.C. · Jun 15 07 09:42

There is no way I could send my pet away because he is too old. If he's too old to be with me....then isn't he just too old period ? If it's a case of the pet being sick, and a few days there would make him well, I'd be all over it.

kitten · Jun 15 07 11:15

I agree fully. When a dog (or any pet) gets old, the last thing I would do is send it away. If he is too ill and can't recover, the kind thing is to put him to sleep, not send him away from you. That is the time a pet needs you most.

Gopher · Jun 15 07 11:15

A suicide pact would be ideal!

Sportsdude · Jun 15 07 11:17

all i know is those pets are pampered to death.

P.C. · Jun 15 07 11:24

I'm not suggesting for a second that I think they weren't being treated well. I believe it's an idea that's been put into practise with likely good intentions. (or money)

It's the whole concept of sending an animal away.....one that is crying all night because it's old and obviously in pain. Changing the environment of an old pet isn't going to make it less old and probably distresses the animal more than if he were to stay with his beloved owner.

all i know is those pets are pampered to death.

That's inevitable.

Sportsdude · Jun 15 07 11:26

My dog cries, he's old, and his shoulder or back leg pops a bit when he walks.
yup he belongs in a nursing home. lol

ripper · Jun 15 07 11:35

I love my dog like it's my own child. I would spend any amount to ensure that it is healthy and happy. Japan is a very small island. I doubt very much that it has many off leash parks. More than likely dogs over there go outside to do their business and back inside the apartment. At least in the nursing home they get to swim and socialize with other dogs in their twilight years. I wish when i get old i could be put in the Playboy Mansion and live like Hugh Hefner. I would definately die with a smile on my face.

P.C. · Jun 15 07 11:48

At least in the nursing home they get to swim and socialize with other dogs in their twilight years.[FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffdfbf"] I wish when i get old i could be put in the Playboy Mansion and live like Hugh Hefner. I would definately die with a smile on my face.[/FONT]

LOL ^^^^

I don't know ripper. It seems to me, that most dogs go into an almost depressed state even for the short amount of time their owners are at work. To send them to strangers in a strange place when they become old seems really sad to me. Perhaps if it were a place to take your dog for a few hours, as an alternative to not having a park to play in ......that would be great.

Humans are the only ones that send their elderly to homes when they don't want to care for them anymore. Of course there's always exceptions, like they have ailments that become too difficult for their loved ones to care for them or they have no loved ones left. But for me, if I couldn't care for a parent any more, I would spend the money on having someone come to my home to help me care for them over spending it to send them away.

Sportsdude · Jun 15 07 11:51

my dog doesn't he just sleeps the day away he's never been 'active' during the day. He's morning/night and everywhere inbetween sleep.

ripper · Jun 15 07 11:59

P.C. wrote: I don't know ripper. It seems to me, that most dogs go into an almost depressed state even for the short amount of time their owners are at work. To send them to strangers in a strange place when they become old seems really sad to me. Perhaps if it were a place to take your dog for a few hours, as an alternative to not having a park to play in ......that would be great.

Humans are the only ones that send their elderly to homes when they don't want to care for them anymore. Of course there's always exceptions, like they have ailments that become too difficult for their loved ones to care for them or they have no loved ones left. But for me, if I couldn't care for a parent any more, I would spend the money on having someone come to my home to help me care for them over spending it to send them away.[/DIV]
While i agree with you about dogs going into a depressed state with seperation, in the nursing home it is only temporary. I'm sure the owner can visit anytime he/she wants to. If i was to put my dog in that home , i would visit everyday and spend hours on end with a smile on my face as i watched my baby swim and play with his/her friends, something that i couldn't provide when we lived in a apartment.