NORFOLK — A new welcome “waggin'” has arrived at Norfolk International Airport and the new four-legged friends can’t wait to greet travelers.
Pixie, a Husky Pomeranian mix; Arlo, a yellow lab; and Rocco, a coonhound lab mix, are all part of the new Welcome Waggin therapy dog program at Norfolk Airport. The three will provide comfort to travelers by easing travel nerves.
The initiative, which officially launched on Oct. 9, was a year-long project led by the airport’s volunteer coordinator, Tricia Hodges.
“We really wanted to be able to bring this program to the airport. It’s our newest guest experience initiative. We really feel that having the dogs here will help create a warm, calm, and inviting space for our guests. They will help ease travel nerves and really put smiles on people’s faces when they come in,” Hodges explained.
The handlers and their dogs are trained and certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Each dog has also been volunteering in the community for at least two years prior to their job at the airport.
“A lot of the dogs and handlers know each other, and they really have a passion for serving in this capacity, so it’s really fantastic to get to work with them,” Hodges added.
Each dog also has a collectible trading card that is carried by their respective handler.
As the program continues to roll out, Hodges is hopeful to add more dogs and handlers to the program as time goes on.
In a short time after their initial appearance at the airport, each dog had a line of travelers who wanted to pet and play with them.
For Hodges, the official launch of the program is exciting.
“It’s really exciting to finally have this program off the ground. To see the people that are stopping and are so excited and the smiles on their faces, that’s what is going to truly make this all worthwhile,” she said.
The dogs will be around at the airport in the main lobby on varying schedules due to availability. To learn more about the dogs and their schedules, follow Norfolk International Airport on Facebook.