A Chinese volunteer encourages a mentally handicapped boy (L) to play with a one and...

A Chinese volunteer encourages a mentally handicapped boy (L) to play with a one and half-year-old "Doctor Dog" called "Bird Bird" during a visit to his classroom by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) members April 12. The IFAW's Dr. Dog programme was initiated in Beijing in 1999 with three dog owners volunteering their animals for regular visit to special classes for mentally handicapped children. The childen look upon the dogs as their adopted friends and the development of their relationship is believed to have therapeutic effects. Unlike western countries, dogs in China are regarded as public nuisance and have been eradicated in mass movements during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).