When’s the next time you’re traveling? Imagine strolling through the airport with your bags in tow and you hear, “Who’s a good boy/girl?!” No, you’re not hallucinating. You turn around and discover a furry friend who’s receiving a bunch of love from passing travelers. You can’t resist the cuteness, and you make your way toward the four-legged pup as if you’re in a trance. (We can’t blame you.)
You meet Annabel, a golden retriever, and learn that she’s part of Orlando International Airport’s newest program, the MCO Paw Pilots. MCO Paw Pilots puts their best paws forward to offer comfort to those who are traveling. Annabel is a certified therapy dog and is just one of 10 teams that are part of the initiative.
The traveling public can decompress with cuddles and kisses from their favorite pups, and if you have a fear of flying, be sure to pet before you jet for a few moments to destress. According to psychcentral.com, “As many as 20 to 30% of people are apprehensive about flying, and between two and 10% of people at any point in time have a phobia about flying.”
Allow the MCO Paw Pilots to help you overcome the hustle and bustle of one of the busiest airports. MCO has more than 49 million annual passengers and is the busiest airport in Florida. MCO is also the 10th busiest airport in the United States.
“We understand that travel can be stressful, and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) wants to try something new to enhance the customer experience,” said Brian Engle, GOAA’s director of customer experience. “Our Paw Pilots will offer the right balance of comfort and cuddles with our team of vetted therapy dogs and their handlers.”
The 10 teams can be found in the main terminal building (not at the gates) and will appear at various times throughout the week for two hours each. Each of the therapy dog teams have been screened and certified as a therapy dog for at least two years by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs to ensure the safety of the MCO guests. All dogs also had to pass an in-person screening and an in-terminal test before receiving an invite to join the MCO Paw Pilots.
The MCO Paw Pilot program is currently in trial mode and will be evaluated next year to determine if it will officially be added as a long-term customer service program, according to the press release.
Here’s a list of the good boys and girls that are making a difference:
· Annabel – Golden Retriever
· Annie – Golden Retriever
· Fifi – Miniature Schnauzer
· Daisy-Mai – Pomeranian
· Jora – Golden and Labrador Retriever Mix
· Essie – Rescue (potentially Corgi and Border Collie mix)
· Tori – German Shepherd
· Farley – Bearded and Border Collie mix
· Woody – Basset Hound
We’re pretty paws-itive that the good boys and girls will be making an impact for travelers and can’t wait to meet even more teams because it’s a dog-gone good time!
Please note that therapy dogs are different from service dogs and emotional support dogs. Whereas both therapy and service dogs require training, emotional support dogs do not. Therapy dogs are meant to be pet and receive attention and affection from the public, which is opposite when discussing service dogs as they should be ignored since they are a working animal to help with whatever reason(s) their owner has them. Therapy dogs can typically be found at sites after a tragic event, helping victims and first responders cope, or at airports or hospitals. Service dogs can go anywhere as long as they are working and behaving. Emotional support dogs are allowed on planes (and even those laws are changing).
