To celebrate International Dog Day, Hong Kong's railway operator MTR Corporation is honouring our Dr Dog therapy program and raising awareness of its contribution to Hong Kong over the past 30 years. 

In recent weeks the MTR has displayed our posters at 88 of its stations, featured Dr Dog's story on its MTR Mobile app, and issued a joint press release, laying the groundwork for the big day on 26 August when our volunteers and their Dr Dogs are welcomed onto the transport system. 

In a joint media interview earlier this month, our Dr Dog Program Manager, Marnie Yau, joined Ms Annie Leung, General Manager (Marketing and Customer Experience) of the MTR Corporation, to announce this groundbreaking venture. On International Dog Day, at least 20 volunteers from Animals Asia and their Dr Dogs will take the MTR  to travel around Hong Kong.

Animals Asia currently has more than 100 Dr Dogs who have passed a rigorous assessment and who now spend their time helping those in need relieve stress, and assisting patients, children and the elderly in hospitals, schools and retirement homes. 

For those concerned about meeting dogs on the MTR trains, there is a special travel arrangement for our Dr Dogs in place and guidelines have been issued to reassure passengers:

This event is the first time that the MTR has allowed dogs other than guide dogs on board, in order to raise public awareness of the Dr Dog therapy program. Ms Leung suggested that the public should treat the Dr Dogs as ordinary passengers. If passengers are sensitive to animals or are not used to travelling with dogs, they can choose to take other carriages as our doggy ambassadors will be travelling in the last carriage only. The MTR has made special travel arrangements for this event to maintain smooth railway services, ensure the safety of dogs on the railway system and take into account the needs of all passengers.

Currently only guide dogs that assist visually impaired passengers can ride the MTR. 

Read more: Press Release / Jill's Blog

Media coverage: 
RTHK - 逾20隻「狗醫生」26日將乘搭港鐵　助市民增加認識
Oriental Daily News - 國際狗狗日 溫暖狗醫生 搭港鐵出行
HK01 - 國際狗狗日｜20隻「狗醫生」8.26搭港鐵　只坐最尾一卡車廂
ST Headline - 8.26國際狗狗日│20隻狗醫生將現身港鐵指定路線 乘坐最尾一卡車廂與市民相遇
Sing Tao Daily - 「狗醫生」登港鐵下周六車廂見

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