The first therapy dog program began after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, when an interfaith chaplain volunteer at Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) brought her certified therapy dog, a Boxer/Great Dane mix named Orion, to the airport hoping it would help ease travelers' anxieties about returning to the skies.It worked. Orion was a big hit with both passengers and employees. Now SJC has 13 teams of volunteer handlers and dogs in a K-9 Crew that visits with passengers in the terminals a few hours each day, seven days a week.
The dogs include breeds ranging from a Cocker Spaniel, a Rat Terrier and a Miniature Schnauzer to Golden Retrievers, a French Mastiff and a Rottweiler. And they're all certified by Therapy Dogs International (TDI), which makes sure the dogs are tested for non-aggression, general obedience and willingness to be hugged and petted in the midst of noisy and distracting airports. Handlers are also required to pass a security clearance before joining the team.
"We've had many very touching encounters with airport employees and travelers," said Kyra Hubis, the SJC therapy dog program leader who has been visiting the airport with her Golden Retriever, Henry James, each Monday for the past four years. "It's especially poignant to see soldiers being deployed hugging Henry James and telling him to 'take care of the house' while they're gone."
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