As many folks take to the airways this holiday, you can bet some will get a little overwhelmed, especially the kids. For those traveling through or to Denver, the good news is there is help.
More than 100 dogs (one cat) make up the Canine Airport Therapy Squad (CATS) at Denver International Airport. It’s the most extensive airport therapy animal program in the country and is entirely volunteers. The dogs, cat, and their volunteers walk around the airport in four-hour shifts, dispensing cuddles for anxious travelers (or anyone who wants to give a belly rub). While the program was suspended from March 2020 until May 2021, these days, they’re back patrolling the terminals, looking for humans who could use some stress relief.
Let’s meet some of the stress relievers. All photos courtesy of CATS
Here is Jackson the Goldendoodle. He likes dental treats and swimming.
Meet Blue. His favorite treat is Moist and Meaty, and his favorite activity is playing with his sister Amelia
.
Toby’s favorite treat is Bacon (you go, Toby). His favorite activity is hiking in the mountains.
Xeli’s favorite treat is catnip, and her favorite activity is making friends.
Matilda’s favorite treat is salmon, and being hugged is her favorite activity.
These are just five of the 100 at the airport this weekend. What good news indeed. Today’s JohnKu talks about help in times of need. I hope you all have a super weekend.
Caring by John W. Howell
When stress has you down,
No matter where it occurs . . .
An animal helps.
Fiction Favorites 
What a lovely program! ❤
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Make you want to go to Denver. Well maybe not. Thanks, Annette.😊
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What fun, I have never heard of that being done at an airport. Most of my family has worked at Heathrow and we have all seen passengers who can’t cope with the stress. I can imagine being a volunteer would be ideal for people who have retired from working at a busy airport as people miss being there once they have left work.
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That sounds like a great souce of personnel, Janet. I wonder how many are retired airport workers?
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Brilliant program, John 👍😃
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I think so too, Chris. Thanks for the comment. 😁
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What a terrific idea!
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I agree it is, GP. 😊
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What a brilliant idea! Thank you for sharing this joyful news (along with a few of the volunteers!)
Happy Friday!
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I hope you have a great weekend Dale. 😁
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Thank you, kind sir! As I hope for you 🙂
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😁
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🙂
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That’s a fun program.
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I think if you were a little stressed it would be a welcome outlet. Thanks, Craig.
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Such a fabulous idea! A few minutes with a sweet animal is guaranteed to soothe any ruffled feathers…🥰
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I agree with you, Lori. I can imagine that this weekend would be especially stressful. 😁
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That’s a wonderful idea. Kudos to the 100 dogs and volunteers. We used to have two dogs at BDL but the program ended with, well, you know.
I hope you are having a nice holiday weekend, John. If you get stressed, you know who to snuggle with.
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Thank you, Dan. I have my therapy animals close. Have a great weekend as well.
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This is a great program. I’d want to take them all home though! I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving, John.
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I did have a nice Thanksgiving, Jill. I hope you did as well. 😊
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What a wonderful program, John. I’m with you – an animal takes away the stress. 😊
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Yes they do. I hope your Thanksgiving was good, Gwen. 😁
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Absolutely wonderful: airport pet volunteers. wonderful.
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On Fri, Nov 26, 2021 at 2:01 AM Fiction Favorites wrote:
> John W. Howell posted: ” As many folks take to the airways this holiday, > you can bet some will get a little overwhelmed, especially the kids. For > those traveling through or to Denver, the good news is there is help. More > than 100 dogs (one cat) make up the Canine Airport T” >
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I hope your Thanksgiving was great, Geri. 😊
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What a fantastic program! I love that each animal has a profile (although Matilda looks a bit unladylike in her photo with her tongue lolling).
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I think those tongues are hard to control when the photographer says, “Smile.” 😁
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Good point. 😀
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Such a fabulous idea! Animals can be very therapeutic. When my husband was in a cardiac rehab hospital, Therapets visited every day. They were a comfort to many patients, my husband included.
Your poem is right on! (And I probably haven’t used that saying since the sixties. 🙂
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I know I dropped it when Marvin Gaye brought out the song.
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Awwwwww, this just might be the best Fri Yay post so far! I love this! And the poem is so true! I spent the day yesterday with my three granddogs and it was good therapy. Lots of belly rubs! Thank you for sharing!
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Thank you, Jan. Loved your comment.
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What a wonderful idea, and I LOVE the pictures! Thank you for sharing, John. Flying is one of my most dreaded things to have to do, even before all the trouble airlines are currently having with rowdy passengers and mass flight cancellations. I would LOVE a therapy animal to help calm me down before boarding, and again on the other end. I think this is an idea that should be considered at all airports, everywhere. (And then extended to the plane itself. A nice doggie strolling the aisles, or a cuddly cat who’d climb into my lap to divert my attention from chewing my nails would be fantastic!)
One of these days, we will be making the trip from Florida to Denver (where my daughter now lives) and just knowing those animals might be there when we land, and again when we take off to return home, makes me breathe easier.
And I’d be sorely tempted to dognap Blue, though every one of them is beautiful! Thanks again for sharing. I needed a smile and some uplifting thoughts this morning, and now I have them! 🤗
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Thank you, Marcia.
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I’ve known about such programs in hospitals, extended care facilities, and nursing homes, but never in an airport. It’s a genius idea. I laughed at the inclusion of one cat. It’s probably the only one they could find that was willing to put up with humans.
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I think that is the reason there is only one. Dogs are like, “Oh boy I like you.” Cats are like, “Have we met?”
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Wonderful program! I’d love to visit just to see the dogs.
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Yes. Good idea.
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It would work for me. 🙂
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What a wonderful program, John. I would love to give Matilda a big, big hug!
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I think we all would, Lauren. 🤗
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That’s a really cool idea. More airports should do it. Maybe have more animals involved too. Perhaps a red panda . . . Yes, that suggestion is entirely self-serving.
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Hahaha.
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Traveler to airline representative – could I get a new boarding pass ? A therapy dog ate it. Good one John
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😁
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What a wonderful idea. I would love to guddle any one of them. I tend to miss my pouches when I travel so I always strike up a conversation with people travelling with a pet so I can get a cuddle.
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Good idea, Darlene.
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What a wonderful post, John. I’m so glad you shared it. Hugs on the wing.
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Thank you, Teagan. Have a great weekend. Hugs.
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Sounds like a good idea. A friendly cat would make me feel better. Do you think the girls would like that? Probably not! Maybe they should put one on planes. TGIF to you.
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I think the girls would want to go home the minute they got there. Thanks, JO. I think having one on a plane would be great.
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Here’s to pet making everything better, Boss.
Well done.
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I agree,
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🙂
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This is such a nice program, John. I knew therapy dogs were used at hospitals – I remember petting a friendly dog while my dad and I waited for my mother to come out of surgery. Having them in airports is also a great idea.
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It is, Barbara. Thanks.
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We fly into Denver quite a bit, so I will be on the lookout for this program now. Anything that lowers travelers’ stress is good.
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Check them out, Pete. Thanks. 😁
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Every airport needs animals to help. Way to go, Denver!
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They are ahead of their time.
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Yes!
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Great pet heroes, dear John! I have never heard about such a wonderful team before. The idea corresponds to our time. I wonder if airports think to add a team of Santas or somebody similar. 🙂 It would be a great help too.
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I think there are Santas in someairports.
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I love this idea! I will look for them when visit relatives 🙂
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Yes do.
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Whoa…one of the pet therapy dogs is also a volunteer at DIA. Oreo is a beloved little black and white Shih Tzu, both in the CATS program as well as at the hospital. People love the dogs at the airport and has helped more than one overly stressed out passenger feel better. 🐶
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Thanks for the comment, Monika. 😁
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They sure do help, John.
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😊
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