San Francisco Airport Has 'Wag Brigade' Therapy Animals To Relax Stressed Travelers
Mar 04, 2020 by apost team
Since 2013, The San Francisco International Airport and San Francisco SPCA have had their own “Wag Brigade” full of therapy dogs and a pig who passengers are free to interact with.
It’s a step towards relieving stress in passengers and has proven very popular.
Taking a long flight can be fun, but there’s nothing enjoyable about being stressed out. Lots of people deal with anxiety before their flight. You could be anticipating jet lag, or you might just be having a bad day at the terminal. Some people get stressed out by packing their bags. Even finding a parking spot can be a huge headache.
There are so many factors that can lead to bad flight experiences, and the San Francisco International Airport is determined to help you get a little more enjoyment out of your trip. They might not be able to control all the things that can lead to a bad day, but they are trying to turn frowns upside down.
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The people in charge of customer relations have put their minds together to take the edge off before your next flight. These furry therapists are professionally trained to cuddle away your stressful thoughts!
The Wag Brigade isn’t a new idea. This helpful innovation started in 2013 when the San Francisco International Airport joined forces with the San Francisco SPCA.
The first person who came up with the foundation of the program was employed at the San Jose Airport more than ten years earlier, the video recalls. The attack on the World Trade Center inspired him to bring his therapy dog to work at the terminal. It gave a lot of people reassurance during those tense times after the attack.
The SPCA took that patriotic employee’s great idea to the next level. They use countless therapy dogs who have graduated in the Animal Assisted interactions Program.
Each puppy is fully trained to remain calm in busy crowds, and they each have an amazing personality. A normal pet without training probably couldn’t handle the noisy environment, but these friendly little buddies do it with ease.
Every therapy animal goes through a strict training course to qualify for this important job. They are toured through several terminals to allow them to adapt to the environment. The best part is that every one of these cute animals gets to wear a cool vest that says, “Pet Me!”
Dogs aren’t the only therapy animals allowed in the Wag Brigade! There are currently 22 dogs participating, but there’s also a fully-trained therapy pig named Lilou. She always draws a crowd in, and she’s one of the most interesting stress-relieving experts on the team. She’s a talented performer, too. Her skills include lots of tricks. She can walk on two legs, and she can bow on command, says SFGate. Lilou is even hypoallergenic, and that makes her the perfect buddy for cheering up asthma sufferers.
Eric Espejo is one of the caregivers for a therapy dog that’s in the program. He feels that most people miss their pets when traveling. Eric believes that this service gives pet owners a little bit of extra comfort during their trip, and any distraction from the stress is a real benefit, reports ABC 7 News.
Be sure to say hello to all the great members of the Wag Brigade the next time you go to the San Francisco International Airport!
Have you ever met a therapy animal? Tell us what it was like to meet your furry friend. If you haven’t met a therapy animal before, then be sure to tell your family how important their job is in relieving stress and tell us your thoughts about this program in the space below.