HIROSHIMA - A medium poodle named Rokuta, a member of Hiroshima's Wanpato Squad neighborhood patrol program, and his owner, Eri Toya, have received a letter of appreciation after helping locate a missing elderly woman in Fuchu Town, Hiroshima Prefecture, while on a routine patrol walk.
The incident occurred in December 2025 during one of Rokuta's regular patrol walks.
Toya recalled noticing an elderly woman standing by the roadside in her pajamas, looking around anxiously.
"The woman was standing around here, holding onto a fence and looking back and forth," Toya said. "She was wearing pajamas."
As the woman appeared confused, the friendly Rokuta approached her. Although she was unable to state her name or address, Toya said the woman seemed to relax after remembering that she had once owned a dog herself.
While Toya was escorting the woman to a nearby police box, they encountered family members who had been searching for her, allowing the woman to be safely reunited with her relatives.
"It was a great honor to receive the letter of appreciation," Toya said. "What makes me happiest is knowing that simply walking with Rokuta allowed us to contribute to the community. We hope to continue these neighborhood watch activities."
As communities across Japan face a shortage of volunteers able to conduct neighborhood monitoring and safety patrols, expectations are growing for initiatives such as the Wanpato Squad and its canine members to help fill the gap.
Source: FNN
