When planning a trip with your pet, which includes air travel, ensuring a happy and safe flight for four-legged pilots is your top priority. You have spent enough time exploring the most favorite hotels that best suit your seductive companion, but you are concerned about their comfort and safety throughout the flight process. According to the American Hospital Association, about 76 million cats and dogs travel with their owners every year, and airports are beginning to pay attention.
The following airports made the most progress in traveling to pets, opening up designated areas for animals to take a short break, get water and stretch their legs. If your route includes any of these stops, these animal zones provide a great way to calm and reconnect to your pet as soon as you reach your destination or while waiting for a connecting flight.
1. Atlanta: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Last month we recorded the grand opening of the Hartsfield-Jackson dog park in Los Angeles, and we definitely had to include it in our list. The 1,000-square-foot Poochie park includes flowers, grass, rocks, and benches to create a scene for dogs to sniff, get some exercise, and do their own thing. Being the busiest airport in the world, he saw that his share of pets is passing and wants to better serve his four-legged passengers.
2. Houston: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Not only does George W. Intercontinental Bush have four designated animal zones, but also offers the only on-site nursery operated by an airline (Continental Airlines) in the United States. The nursery provides 1,100 square feet of running and exercise space, day feast, night nursery and grooming.
3. Philadelphia: Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) PHL has 7 (count, seven, seven) zones for animals, which include a mulch surface, a bench and an artificial fire hydrant. Each enclosed plot can hold from 250 to 600 square feet, and also includes a pet bag dispenser and a waste bin.
4. Phoenix: Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). The patch for animals, foot block and bone yard are the three zones developed for animals located in Sky Harbor. These areas offer a place for pets to get relief, wander and sniff, and drink fresh water. Mittens are provided for cleaning.
5. St. Louis: Lambert Art. Louisiana International Airport (STL) Fire safety hydrants are just one of the features of Lambert Street. Louis International Airport has two pet recreation areas. Animals are allowed to play on a 400-square-foot indoor leash, and also include park benches, garbage cans, and plastic cleaning gloves.
6. Reno: Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RTIA) Park Bark at Reno-Tahoe International Airport was designed to make traveling on pets more convenient. It provides latrine, fresh drinking water and Mutt Mitts under the canopy to protect travelers and their pets from the weather.
7. San Francisco: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) San Francisco International Airport offers two recreation areas with animals that are landscaped and fully fenced. They are equipped with drinking water, bowls and waste areas with mutt mitt dispensers. Areas are available for passengers and their pets 24 hours a day.
8. Los Angeles: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) LAX boasts two areas to make travel mates for pets a little more comfortable. Pet Park is equipped with a dog house, plastic bags and a trash can. For convenience, there is another pet seating area, although pets must be kept on a leash.
9. Honolulu: Honolulu International Airport (HNL). favorite companies fall into the hands of a paradise at Honolulu International Airport, in a fenced grassy area under palm trees. Fresh water, plastic bags and trash cans are available for service dogs, pets along the way and for work at the airport.
10. Denver: Denver International Airport (DIA) Denver International has opened an exercise area where pets can walk and tie themselves up after a long flight. The space is closed and accessible for wheelchairs.
It’s great to see airports taking a page from pet friendly hotels and finding ways to make animal travel less alarming and more enjoyable for both pets and their people. This trend will continue, so check in at the airports where you will travel and ask about your home services.
