Traveling expands, but it can also be stressful. In Istanbul, travelers stressed by the airport chaos now have therapy and wet treats available at a paw shop.
Traveling through a huge airport can be a stressful and even scary experience. Istanbul airport in Turkey, one of the busiest in the world, has now started furry pilot project, which aims to relieve travelers’ anxiety and provide a more stress-free travel experience. Five certified therapy dogs have been hired at the pet-friendly airport, which offer support and comfort to stressed-out passengers.
The team of therapy dogs that have been working at the airport since the end of February are specially trained to comfort people. The work was preceded by months of training and intensive training, during which the dogs were taught to tolerate various disturbing stimuli, such as sounds and people.
– We have to be sure that the dogs are safe and adapt one hundred percent to all environments, says Istanbul Airport’s customer service manager Kadir Demirtas.
The team is led by Kuki, an Italian lagotto romagnolo retriever breed. It works hard to please tourists, but it also likes breaks and sometimes a lentil. That’s perfectly permissible too.
The team veterinarian, Volkan Arslanaccording to the nature of each dog dictates the length of its working day, which varies from day to day.
– The dogs paw around the airport under the guidance of their handlers, who are also responsible for their care, he says.
The therapy dogs working during peak hours between 10am and 4pm are officially airport employees and wear badges and uniforms. Each team-mate is Alita, a border collie with an intense gaze who has an obvious ability to calm and soothe people. It makes passengers relax.
– We are always surrounded by people and Alita is constantly petted, the dog’s handler Volkan Gul tells.
According to airport officials, they already have plans to expand the pilot project due to the positive feedback received from passengers.
Source: AP