How could this not immediately endear itself to me? Take note, America: use your dogs to fight crime, not one another for profit.
Residents on the Japanese island of Hokkaido are leading the way with a unusual style of neighbourhood watch which is planned to play a role during next week's G8 leaders' summit.
Citizens have been combining their nightly dog walks with a bit of crime fighting, earning the name The Wan Wan Patrol, 'wan wan' being the Japanese translation for 'woof woof'.
With special coats for the dogs and their owners, donated by the police, they are keeping an eye out for anything or anyone suspicious in their local area.
Local police say it is working - a 48 per cent drop in crime reported since the organised patrols began, not bad for a ragtag group of poodles, chihuahuas, and a husky.
Deputy superintendent at Yoyogi police station Makota Hamura says a lot of the credit belongs to the dog owners for their initiative.
"It is not us [the police] who started this program, but citizens who keep the dogs in this area came to the police station and they said they wanted to do something to prevent crimes. That's why we started."
For local police there is an added benefit during the G8 Summit and superintendent Hamura says the dogs will be lending a helpful paw.
"Actually one third of personnel of this police station will be mobilised to security squad. So we have to secure this area, remaining officers. So in that sense I think that the dog patrol is very useful."
So the citizens of Yoyogi can rest safe with the knowledge their poodles are on the prowl.
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