All smiles: The therapy dog program at Houston’s Airports are back in service! Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some services were sadly postponed at the airports. However, because of a strong travel rebound, a cherished airport program is back in full swing. 

The therapy dog program, which helps ease the anxiety and stress some passengers experience while traveling, was made available at both George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports. The four-legged volunteers and their well-trained companions are one of the many ways Houston Airports provides passengers with a 4-star customer experience. 

Passengers will now, once again, see furry four-legged friends trotting through the terminals. The Therapy Dogs visit Bush Airport’s Terminal A every Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. and are at Hobby Airport on Friday and Sunday mornings. 

Unlike security dogs that passengers are not allowed to touch, Houston Airports therapy dogs are all about being rubbed and loved on. Throughout the week, volunteer dog teams, readily identifiable by the handlers' bright orange polo shirt and the dog's blue bandana and "Pet Me" vest, make their way to the various terminals and gates throughout the airport offering passengers an opportunity to pet and interact with the furry ambassadors.   They also have airport security badges like their two-legged employee counterparts. 

The therapy dog program teams are registered with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, a national therapy dog registry with more than 14,000 members in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. territories and Canada. This group of dedicated volunteers provide comfort at hospitals, special needs centers, schools and nursing homes - and is now available at both Bush and Hobby Airports. Houston's airports join a growing number of similar programs at other airports such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Antonio. Learn more about the Alliance of Therapy Dogs here.