ORLANDO, Fla. — Essie laid on the tile floor of the Orlando International Airport as one by one, strangers came by and ran their fingers through her fluffy light brown and white hair.
It's a tough job, but one the rescue pup seems more than qualified for.
- Paw Pilots Program at Orlando International Airport
- Year-long program includes 10 therapy dog teams
- More studies show interacting with a dog can reduce stress
Essie is one of 10 therapy dogs who will now visit Orlando International Airport each week for pets, belly rubs and scritches from travelers and workers alike. It's part of a year-long pilot program called MCO Paw Pilots, which officially launched Friday. If successful, the program could be added long-term.
"We're a very busy airport, one of the top 10 airports in the country," said Brian Engle, the airport's director of customer experience. "Lot of hustle and bustle. So a guest comes in, they may not be thinking clearly, but then they look down, they see a dog. They focus and it takes that stress away and they are able to relax."
A growing body of research shows interacting with pets can help relieve stress. In a study released in July, researchers at Washington State University reported hands-on interaction with cats and dogs for 10 minutes led to lower levels of cortisol, a major stress hormone.
For Marit Russell, the therapy dog program is a great way to help her son, who has Down Syndrome, decompress before or after a flight. "Any interaction with a calm animal is super beneficial," Russell said. "And I think to have this dog when you have anxiety about flying, that's definitely going to calm people down."
The dogs are all trained and experienced therapy dogs. The airport partnered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs to screen the teams. Each dog had to be a certified therapy dog for at least two years, and pass an in-person screening and an in-terminal test.
The teams will be around the main terminal area in two-hour increments throughout the week.