The holidays can be the most stressful time of the year for airplane travel. The sheer number of people trying to get home to their friends and family is enough, but when bad winter weather causes delays and cancellations, it can turn what should be a joyous season into a nightmare.
To help relax anxious, stressed, or scared passengers this holiday season, United Airlines has implemented their United Paws initiative for the third year. Travelers going through Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, will have the opportunity to pet and cuddle with an adorable crew of therapy pups.
Creature Comfort Pet Therapy of Morris Plains, New Jersey, was selected this year to bring in about 60 dogs and handlers taking shifts of 1-2 hours at a time, three times a day. The dogs are covering the three days leading up to Christmas Eve, some of the busiest days of holiday travel.
Karen Clark was there with Creature Comforts yesterday, handling her Great Dane named Bear. “A lot of people are missing their dogs, ‘cause they just put them in kennels and there’s a lot of afraid flyers,” she told CBS. “So it gives them an opportunity to just get their mind off of things for a minute.”
“We’re putting smiles on people’s faces and relieving the stress of holiday travel,” said Erick Spronck, who was there with a Chocolate Labrador Retriever named Sam.
The United Paws program is also hosting comfort dogs at airports in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
It’s awesome that these dogs are available to be pet and cuddled to your heart’s desire. I can’t think of a better way to comfort and bring joy to those traveling this holiday season.
h/t: ABC7