This Airport Has A "Wag Brigade," And Every Airport Needs To Get One Immediately
San Francisco International Airport has found a surprisingly charming way to calm nervous travelers, and it involves paws, snouts, and a lot of tail wags. For anyone who gets uneasy before a flight, the airport’s therapy animal team is the kind of distraction that can make a stressful day feel a little lighter.
The program, known as the Wag Brigade, includes dogs and one therapy pig named LiLou, all there to greet passengers and help ease the tension that often comes with air travel. It is a simple idea, but one that has clearly made a big impression on people passing through the terminal.
Here is how this adorable airport crew won over travelers so quickly.
The "Wag Brigade" program began in 2013 and has been a hit with passengers ever since.
LiLou, the hypoallergenic pig, is the newest member who joined recently. She certainly knows how to impress by greeting you with a wave, standing up on her hind hooves, and playing her toy piano!
The idea for therapy dogs in airports emerged after 9/11 when an airport employee at SJC brought in his own therapy dog to work to help ease passengers' anxieties.
The Wag Brigade's manager, Jen, says that being around animals can reduce stress.
“Scientific research shows that pets make us happier and healthier. Dogs love making people happy. It’s been proven that petting a dog increases levels of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for making us happy, and decreases levels of cortisol, the hormone responsible for making us feel stressed and anxious.”
But where do the animals go when they're off duty?
“All of the Wag Brigade animals are personal pets, and when the animals are off duty, they accompany their human handlers as they go about their day-to-day routines. Most of the animals live in San Francisco, and they enjoy fun dog activities like playing fetch at the beach or the park! Some even pick up additional volunteer shifts at local hospitals, nursing homes, colleges, and Puppy Dog Tales Reading (PDT) Programs,” Jen said.
The airport clearly knows a good feel-good idea when it sees one.
“Our main goal is to connect with our guests, bring people together, and provide a memorable airport experience.”
“Our Wag Brigade dogs are required to pass a Canine Good Citizen Test (CGC), and all of the animals must graduate from the SF SPCA’s Animal Assisted Interaction program. They are required to have at least 6 months to a year of successful therapy experience working with other organizations prior to coming to the airport to audition for the Wag Brigade.”
Jen continued, “Potential Wag Brigade teams are evaluated for their temperament, as well as airport suitability. It is especially important that the animals are good with children. We look for animals with stable temperaments, friendly personalities, impeccable manners, and obedience. The animals are like airport celebrities, and they look forward to being loved and petted here at SFO.”
“It’s a win-win for the animals and our airport guests!”
That same “pair up and calm everyone down” vibe shows up in the Arizona rescue where a chihuahua and pig became best friends, Timon and Pumbaa.
Krista Maloney from SFSPCA says that SFO also approached them about starting the program. “SFO had noticed other airports starting therapy programs and wanted to do something similar.”
She agrees that animals indeed help to reduce stress. “Several studies have shown that interacting with animals can improve mood, decrease stress, lower blood pressure, and possibly increase cardiovascular health.”
“All of the animals in the Wag Brigade are part of the SF SPCA’s Animal Assisted Interactions Program. They are trained and certified therapy animals who are owned. At the end of their Wag Brigade shift, they go home with their guardians.”
“The reaction from our passengers is really positive,” Jen says.
“When a Wag Brigade animal walks into the terminal, we see people look up from their devices, and they start to interact with each other and with the dog, which puts a smile on everyone’s face.”
Jen says the program initially included only 6 dogs, but the response was so amazing that "we were like, okay, send more dogs!"
“We often hear people say things like: ‘I miss my dog more than my wife’ or ‘I just got back from a two-week vacation, and this is the best part of my trip,’” Jen joked about how much passengers enjoy the emotional support animals.
Here's what people had to say about the adorable team.
Before you board, check out how Portland Airport’s therapy llamas turned random terminals into feel-good hotspots.
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