TOKYO: The Tokyo metropolitan government on Friday opened an accommodation facility that allows COVID-19 patients to stay with their pets.

The move is part of the metropolitan government’s efforts to ensure that coronavirus patients with mild or no symptoms stay at accommodation facilities, as some of them choose to stay at home to take care of their pets.

The facility, located within the premises of the Museum of Maritime Science in the Odaiba waterfront area in Shinagawa Ward, will start hosting patients on Monday. 

It has 140 rooms with floor space of some 20 square meters each where dogs, cats, rabbits and hamsters are allowed. Each room has a cage as well as other pet supplies including air fresheners and potty pads.

The Nippon Foundation, a Tokyo nonprofit, built the facility in July and offered it to the metropolitan government.

“We’ll operate this facility with responsibility to help patients stay with a sense of security,” a metropolitan government official said.