On 18 July, the Macau Animal Welfare Society visited the Mother’s Association’s Ha Wan Integrated Elderly Services Centre. Volunteers brought along several gentle and adorable ‘therapy dogs’ to visit the elderly residents, interacting and playing with them through animal-assisted activities in a warm and joyful atmosphere.
On the day of the event, led by the volunteers, the ‘therapy dogs’ interacted closely with the elderly residents. The elderly residents stroked the dogs, brushed their coats and fed them, whilst some excitedly picked up the ‘dog doctors’ to have their photographs taken with them. Throughout the session, the residents’ faces beamed with bright smiles, and the venue was filled with laughter and cheerful chatter. One resident remarked that they had kept a dog at home before moving into the centre and never imagined they would be able to interact with dogs again here; they were overjoyed and warmly welcomed the volunteers to visit more often.