MADISON, Wis. — Initially put on pause because of the pandemic, a group of furry friends finally returned to the Dane County Regional Airport on Friday to help travelers de-stress.
“The public have been asking where the dogs are,” Dane County Regional Airport director of marketing and communications Michael Riechers said. “Our volunteers are ready to come back, so here it is: International Dog Day 2022, we decided, what better time to bring the dogs back to the airport?”
The airport’s Pet Therapy Program — which proved extremely popular among airport visitors prior to the COVID-19 pandemic — brings trained and credentialed dogs to the airport to provide stress relief and comfort to travelers at the airport, especially those dealing with delays or canceled flights.
While they don’t have set hours, members of the volunteer team regularly visit the airport alongside their dogs to help bring smiles to travelers’ faces.
“If you want to say hi, please do. These aren’t the working dogs that say, ‘Don’t pet me.’ These absolutely, go up and greet them, say hi,” Riechers said. “It’s there to bring a smile on your face and relieve a little stress.”
A list of dogs involved in the program is available online for anyone interested.
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