A therapy dog that is a member of the Wagging Tails Brigade licks an airport staff member at Philadelphia International Airport on Monday. Tassanee Vejpongsa/Associated Press PHILADELPHIA — A pack of four-legged therapists got a break of their own Monday when they were honored at the airport where they dutifully work to ease stress and calm travelers. The event at Philadelphia International Airport marked five years since the 23 members of the Wagging Tails Brigade began greeting people and serving as therapy dogs.
Several of them were presented with birthday presents and a customized cake while passersby were invited to eat cupcakes and sign an oversized birthday card. Alan Gurvitz, a volunteer with his therapy dog, Hope, a Labrador retriever, offered their service to passengers at Philadelphia International Airport on Monday. Tassanee Vejpongsa/Associated Press Members of the brigade and their volunteer human handlers are at the airport for at least two hours a week, impressing people with their tricks and doing what they can to raise the spirits of road-weary passengers.
Dogs wear vests asking people to “pet me.” Alan Gurvitz, a volunteer with Hope, a Labrador retriever, said their goal is to make travel a bit more pleasant. “I like to refer to the airport as the land of cancellations and delays.
So people tend to be very stressed out here,” Gurvitz said. Jamie and Victoria Hill, on their way to their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, turned to pet Bella while.