A successful program to bring mentally retarded children together with pet dogs will be expanded into senior rest homes, organizers said.

About 50 pet dogs were brought to Shanghai Miyun School in Hongkou District to play with over 100 mentally retarded children last week.

Organized by the Pet Food Institute and Website ttpet.net, the scheme was welcomed by children and parents.

The children dressed up the dogs in scarves and drew pictures of them.

"All the children were delighted and felt the two hours' time was too short," said a school teacher surnamed Ding. "Usually we hardly see them laughing that happily."

It was the third time the dogs had visited the children. On the first occasion, some of the children were afraid of the dogs but soon became used to them after learning that they were friendly.

The institute is planning similar events, including taking pet dogs to rest homes to accompany the aged.

(Shanghai Daily June 23, 2006)