Brisbane Airport will be trialling therapy dogs in the Domestic Terminal to help ease the stress of anxious flyers.
According to Head of Communications and Brand Sarah Whyte, therapy dogs are currently used at a number of airports worldwide to comfort passengers experiencing pre-flight stress.
“Therapy dogs are in use in a growing number of airports around the world to calm nerves and help people de-stress. Who doesn’t love a puppy?” she said.
“Not only have we had really positive feedback from travellers but also our airport staff and airline crew too.”
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Ms Whyte said that the dogs have already helped a number of people along their travels around the country.
“We’ve had an amazing response so far. There was the FIFO worker who hadn’t patted his dog for a month; we met a family who had recently lost their father who just wanted puppy cuddles and a lady who had recently lost her own dog,” she said.
“In each of these cases, it was the conversation and connection that took place around the therapy animal that made all the difference.”
Interacting with a therapy animal is believed to release “endorphins making people feel better, diminishing feelings of pain, depression and loneliness.”
Domestic travellers will be able spot the therapy dogs when they are on duty on Wednesday July 11 between 11AM and 1PM.
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