Elderly dogs can now retire gracefully in $1,000-a-month nursing home

Nursing homes: They're not just for old people anymore. In Japan, one company plans on opening a posh facility designed with elderly dogs in mind, so they can spend the last years of their lives in luxury.

The Aeon Group will build this special retirement home outside of Tokyo for up to 20 canines, NBC News reports, and the dogs will have access to a 24-hour veterinary clinic, swimming pool, and playground. Staff members will conduct hourly room temperature checks, and webcams will be set up so owners can watch their dogs at any time. Many of the features are similar to those offered at the Aeon Group's fancy pet hotel at the Narita Airport.

Prices will depend on the size and breed of the dogs, but owners can expect to shell out about $1,000 per month. Last year, Japan passed a law that requires owners to look after their pets until death, and as the country struggles with a large population that is aging, companies are looking into ways to offer services to help. "Ten years after running the hotel at Narita, we realized that pets were getting older, and there have been owners who themselves were no longer capable of providing care," says facility manager Chiyo Sakurai.

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