The Transportation Security Administration has announced the 2023 holiday season will be the busiest travel season ever, expecting 30 million passengers nationwide. TSA is projecting that this coming Sunday, November 26th, will be the busiest travel day.
However, the Albuquerque International Sunport created a dog therapy program back in 2015 called the ABQ K-9 Crew with the hopes of soothing travelers who have anxiety about flying.
Bonnie Hughes, the companion of Boston Terrier Boomer, who can be found doing zoomies when not at the Sunport, says visiting the Sunport is a different experience and it’s fun for both dog and owner.
“Their faces definitely brighten, the dog lovers anyway,” said Hughes.
Desde, a rescue Rottweiler and therapy dog, visits the Sunport every Wednesday alongside her human companion Dede Brownstein who said they’ve visited places like hospitals and nursing homes, but the airport allows Desde to soothe and comfort so many more people.
“So many people tell us we made their day. They’ll tell us they’ve had the most stressful experience traveling and just seeing the dogs has made a huge difference,” said Brownstein.
Wolfie the spunky Chihuahua whose favorite toy is his beaver and loves doing tricks, loves helping people out at the Sunport, his owner Nancy Mirantz said.
“He loves it. He loves coming here. The minute I get him in the car, put that harness on him. He just knows he’s going to the airport. He walks in and he’s all happy and everything. And he just can’t wait until the first person will say ‘hello’ to him. He just loves everybody, so how can I deny him that?" she said.
The therapy dogs range in both breed and size and travelers are encouraged to snuggle and pet the pups who are wearing their bright yellow “PET ME” harnesses and collect each dog’s trading card.
Another therapy dog is Atticus. His companion Bonnie Finch said that the motivation for the work they do is not only helping other people but knowing she’s contributed something positive.
“There was a young man at the end of the evening and he was really deep in a grief process and he said ‘I just love dogs’, and he knelt down and he petted and petted and petted and cried and cried, and Atticus really did something for him, which I did nothing except say how sorry I was,” said Finch.
The K-9 Crew currently has 35 therapy dogs that can be found throughout the airport to greet weary travelers.
