The PET Program, from Paws of CNY, brings therapy dogs to the Syracuse Hancock International Airport to comfort travelers.
Transcript
FRED WILKES: AMID THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE AT THE SYRACUSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, JUDY MCMANUS AND HER PARTNER TOM REPORT FOR DUTY. BUT THEY’RE NOT YOUR AVERAGE EMPLOYEES, AND TOM IS AN 11-YEAR-OLD COCKER SPANIEL.
TOM IS ONE OF THE THERAPY DOGS AS PART OF THE PET PROGRAM, OR PETS EASING TRAVELERS THAT ARE HERE AT THE AIRPORT, ALMOST EVERY DAY. MCMANUS SAYS THAT ALTHOUGH HE DOESN’T MOVE AS WELL AS HE USED TO, TOM IS STILL ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH QUITE A BIT DURING HIS TIME AT THE AIRPORT.JUDY MCMANUS: HE PROBABLY, ON A BUSY DAY, ONE-HUNDRED-50 PEOPLE EASILY, INTERACT WITH HIM.
WILKES: MCMANUS SAYS SHE’S SEEN THE DIFFERENCE THERAPY CAN MAKE ON PASSENGERS DEALING WITH THE STRESS OF AIR TRAVEL.
MCMANUS: ONE OF OUR FIRST VISITS, SOME YOUNG GIRL STOPPED US AND SAID CAN I PET YOUR DOG. I SAID SURE, AND WE PROBABLY SPENT 10 MINUTES WITH HER AND SHE WAS SITTING ON THE FLOOR HUGGING HIM AND CRYING BECAUSE SHE WAS SO STRESSED.
WILKES: AND AS FOR TOM, MCMANUS SAYS HE ENJOYS THE ATTENTION TOO. REPORTING FROM SYRACUSE, FRED WILKES, NCC NEWS.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)- The Syracuse Hancock International Airport is the setting for Paws of Central New York’s PET Program, or pets easing travelers. Judy McManus and her 11-year-old cocker Spaniel Tom are one of the teams who have become a staple at the airport.
The dogs that are part of the PET Program are trained therapy dogs. The goal of the program is to comfort travelers who have to cope with the high stress levels typically associated with air travel.
“One of our first visits, some young girl stopped us and said can I pet your dog,” McManus said. “And we probably spent 10 minutes with her and she was sitting on the floor hugging him and crying because she was so stressed.”
McManus and Tom head from Oswego to the airport every other Thursday. They work their way up from baggage claim and meander through the security line up to the gates.
Even the TSA agents are happy to hold and pet Tom when McManus goes through security, she said. They typically spend about an hour and a half walking through the airport greeting people.
“On a busy day, 150 people, easily, interact with him,” McManus said.
The PET Program currently consists of five dogs that rotate days at the airport. Each of the dogs has to be an experienced therapy dog to qualify for the airport duty.
McManus looks at working with therapy dogs as a way to give back, and Tom has a great personality for it, she said.