DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE THERAPY DOGS AND CATS AT AIRPORTS ACROSS CANADA?

Picture yourself standing in line at the airport, perhaps embarking on a well-deserved trip after a lengthy school year.

Amidst the queues, security procedures, luggage, crowds, and constant announcements, the environment starts to feel overwhelming.

As stress begins to build up inside you, suddenly you notice a fluffy dog adorned with a vest that reads, “Pet Me.”

Yes, please!

This is what travelers passing through Istanbul airport in Turkey can now enjoy: since February, the airport has introduced a therapy dog program for passengers.

Interestingly, this concept is not new in Canada.

Many Canadian airports already feature therapy dogs—and even cats—to assist nervous passengers in alleviating their stress and anxiety.

Dog duties at the airport

Therapy dogs, accompanied by human handlers, roam airport terminals and are accessible to nervous passengers who may find solace in spending time with these animals.

The concept aims to alleviate stress or anxiety for passengers before boarding their flights.

If you feel more anxious around dogs than flights, there’s no need to worry.

Therapy dogs are trained to stay with their handler until approached. They won’t approach you on their own.

Both the human handler and the dog will wear identifiable clothing, like a vest or bandana.

Remember to always ask before petting any therapy animal.

At airports such as Montreal in Quebec and Calgary in Alberta, some therapy dogs have trading cards available for collection when you encounter these helpful pups.

What it takes to be a therapy dog in Canada

In Canada, numerous organizations train and collaborate with therapy dogs, including St. John Ambulance Canada (SJA), which offers first aid courses and volunteer-driven community services nationwide.

To qualify for SJA’s therapy dog program, dogs must meet several specified requirements, including:

• Be more than one year of age.
• Be able to respond to basic commands, including sit, stay, lie down and heel.
• Not mouth people’s arms or hands.
• Not jump on people.
• Not growl at other dogs.
• Not pee indoors.

These airports have a therapy dog program:  

• Vancouver international airport.
• Regina international airport.
• Edmonton international airport.
• Calgary international airport.
• Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg.
• Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
• Trudeau International Airport in Montreal.
• Moncton international airport.
• Stanfield International Airport in Halifax.