MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - A new squad of furry friends arrived at Miami International Airport as part of a new program.
The volunteer K-9 ambassadors along with their owners, were introduced alongside the Miami-Dade Aviation Department at Concourse D, early Monday.
The group consists of five dogs named Abbey, Belle, Dash, Donovan and Pico. The squad is called the Miami Hound Machine.
The four-legged animals are part of the airport’s newest therapy dog program.
“This is another way we are trying to make travel easier for passengers at MIA,” MIA Deputy Director Ken Pyatt said.
The certified therapy dogs are from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
“Therapy dogs are perfectly suited for this environment to alleviate some of that stress,” said Debbie Snyder with the Miami Hound Machine, “and we’ve found through our testing that our dogs are loving the interaction just as much as the passengers, the employee and the volunteers, so it’s a true win-win.”
The dogs will be deployed throughout the airport during peak periods, every Thursday through Monday, spreading love and warmth to stressed and weary travelers.
“I think they are wonderful,” traveler Lisa Alvarez said. “We’ve had a stressful 24 hours because our flight was delayed, but patting a little hound dog makes us happy.”
“It was a happy surprise. I walked down the stairs, and I saw the dogs and instantly smiled,” traveler Cassie Cristo said. “I was so happy.”
7News cameras captured several children walking up to the dogs to pet them.
“My daughter loves them,” traveler Vijay Mistry said. “It’s keeping her entertained, keeping her calm, so that’s a good thing.”
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