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Meet Tokyo's real life Paw Patrol

Harumi Ozawa, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/afp/07/21/20210714-wan-wan-patrol.jpg"/><figcaption>This picture taken on July 14, 2021 shows a nine-year-old female Yorkshire Terrier waiting to take part in the &quot;Wan-Wan Patrol&quot; to an elementary school in Tokyo. Some 150 pups form the local Wan-Wan Patrol, a program that enlists dogs and their owners to turn their daily walks into a neighborhood watch, monitoring children, looking out for local residents and helping deter crime. <em>Philip Fong, Agence France-Presse</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>TOKYO, Japan - It&#x27;s a neighborhood watch with a difference. A clean-nosed crew, sniffing out trouble and keeping the streets safe for school kids: meet the pups of Tokyo&#x27;s real-life Paw Patrol.</p><p>They might not have the gadgets and gear of their beloved cartoon counterparts, but the dogs of the Wan-Wan (bow-wow) Patrol are firm favorites in Tokyo&#x27;s Karasuyama neighborhood.</p><p>Twelve-year-old Yurika Igarashi counts on seeing Sakura, a fluffy toy poodle, when she&#x27;s on her way home from school.</p><p>&quot;Sometimes I&#x27;m scared when I&#x27;m coming home alone, but I feel okay when I&#x27;m walking with Wan-Wan Patrol,&quot; she told AFP, gently cradling Sakura on her lap.</p><p>Sakura is one of 150 pups who form the Wan-Wan Patrol, a program that enlists dogs and their owners to turn their daily walks into a neighborhood watch, monitoring children, looking out for residents, and helping deter crime.</p><p>The Karasuyama program is one of the oldest such community initiatives in Japan and was founded by a local police officer.</p><p>&quot;Individual owners walk whenever they can and have their dog wear the same scarf,&quot; said Keiko Shimizu, the patrol&#x27;s current leader.</p><p>Clearly marked canines patrolling the streets means &quot;we can help make the neighborhood less prone to crime,&quot; she added.</p><p>Many of the dog owners are parents of current and former students of the local school, but others just participate in the community watch as residents.</p><p>On one recent morning, five pooches in Wan-Wan Patrol&#x27;s lime-green neckerchiefs wagged their tails as they accompanied children going to elementary school.</p><p>Pu, a 17-year-old shih tzu, is one of the oldest members of the patrol and can no longer walk by herself. But she proudly participates from the comfort of a doggy stroller pushed by her owner.</p><div><strong>&#x27;CAREFREE&#x27; PLAY</strong></div><p>&quot;The program helps us get to know each other and become good neighbors, and I feel this place stays safe that way,&quot; said Michiko Takeuchi, owner of poodle and Maltese mix Kojiro, and mother to a local schoolboy.</p><p>And the patrol isn&#x27;t just for show. </p><p>&quot;We had a member who found an elderly person who had passed away alone,&quot; patrol leader Shimizu told AFP.</p><p>&quot;They realized by noticing a room light still on in the morning. We walk at around the same hours on the same route everyday, so it&#x27;s easier for us to notice if there is something unusual.&quot;</p><p>Japan has a reputation as one of the world&#x27;s safest countries, with very low rates of violent crime.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1656436" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>But there are occasional tragedies, including a devastating accident last month east of Tokyo in which a drunk driver crashed his truck into a group of schoolchildren, killing two.</p><p>Jun Ameie, principal at the local Kyuden Elementary School, said the neighborhood watch helps reassure parents and children alike.</p><p>&quot;Parents appreciate that many people in the neighborhood care and make sure the environment is safe, especially these days when we hear a lot of reports about crimes involving children,&quot; he told AFP.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m sure that children can play carefree outside of school and anywhere in the neighborhood, because they know many adults keep their eyes on their safety,&quot; Ameie added.</p><p>For young Igarashi, the cuddly canines are a reliable source of comfort.</p><p>&quot;Of course, it&#x27;s fun to walk with the dogs, but I also feel protected by them.&quot;</p><p>oh/sah/ssy</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1731279" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div> </div>

<p>TOKYO, Japan - It's a neighborhood watch with a difference. A clean-nosed crew, sniffing out trouble and keeping the streets safe for school kids: meet the pups of Tokyo's real-life Paw Patrol.</p>

TOKYO, Japan - It's a neighborhood watch with a difference. A clean-nosed crew, sniffing out trouble and keeping the streets safe for school kids: meet the pups of Tokyo's real-life Paw Patrol.

Meet Tokyo's real life Paw Patrol

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Meet Tokyo's real life Paw Patrol

Harumi Ozawa,

Agence France-Presse

Published July 21, 2021 08:59 AM PHT

Read More:

wan-wan patrol

Karasuyama

tokyo

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