Travelers arriving to the Calgary International Airport were given a western welcome from some furry friends on Friday, July 4th, when the Pre-Board Pals kicked-off the Calgary Stampede with some western flair.
Pre-Board Pals is a partnership between the Calgary Airport Authority and Calgary’s Pet Access League Society (PALS) that brings therapy dogs and their volunteer owners to the airport to enhance guest experience.
PALS therapy dogs wear a red ‘Pet Me’ vest and are pawsitively overjoyed to receive love and attention. In true western fashion, , the dogs added cowboys hats to their uniforms and their human companions surprised arriving passengers with gate admission passes for the 2019 Calgary Stampede.
Splash, a Portuguese water dog, was destined for a career as an agility dog, but unfortunately didn’t make the cut. Owner Michelle could sense that Splash needed a purpose and a job, and luckily PALS was the perfect fit!
The Pre-Board Pals have been delighting travelers at the airport for three years, and airport staff say that the program has noticeably helped travelers to relieve a bit of travel stress.
PALS is a non-profit organization that provides pet therapy visits at 50 different facilities in Calgary including the Alberta Children’s Hospital and the Women’s Emergency Shelter.
If you’re headed to the airport, keep an eye out for these four-legged friends who roam the airport from Thursday to Saturday.
Source: Calgary Stampede