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Meet Pearson Airport’s new therapy dogs

By Jean Grant| Photography by Thomas Skrlj
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Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs

There’s a new crew of canines hanging out at Pearson, but these dogs aren’t drug sniffers. Instead, they’re part of a new therapy dog program, in partnership with St John Ambulance, designed to help travellers de-stress. For now, visitors can spot the dogs roaming around the pre-security area looking for some ear scratches (once they get their clearance, they’ll be headed to the gates). Here a who’s who of the new dog squad:

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs
Ghost

A four-year-old husky–German Shepherd mix Ghost, named after Jon Snow’s direwolf in Game of Thrones, was rescued as a puppy from a reserve in Northern Ontario. His handler, Claudia Hernandez, only planned on fostering him for a few weeks, but s ended up falling in love with the pup and adopted him. He’s new to the St. John Ambulance program and, according to Hernandez, loves making people smile. He’s also a fan of Toronto’s frigid temperatures. “His favourite weather is minus 40,” she says. A peek at his Instagram shows he can rock a backpack, gives excellent hugs and likes to cuddle kittens.

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs
Ringo Starr

A five-year-old soft-coated Wheaten terrier Ringo Starr has been working as a therapy dog since he was just a year old, and these days, he’s a pretty busy pooch: in addition to his Pearson gig, he also works in a seniors’ residence and in the courts, where he comforts victims of child trafficking during their testimonies. He likes to sit right on top of people and loves receiving biscuits as compensation for his hard work.

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs
Shep

A three-year-old Australian Bernadoodle Shep is a chill goof of a dog who’s been working in therapy for just over a year. He hangs out with patients at a long-term-care facility, but finds the bustle at Pearson much more exciting. His handler, Alex Eakins, says he has a great memory—especially when it comes to french fries. “At the airport, he’ll pull me to all the chairs where he once found a fry,” says Eakins.

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs
Luna

A 10-year-old goldendoodle Luna has been a therapy dog for most of her life. She volunteers at a nursing home during the week, where she regularly climbs into bed to cuddle with a 104-year-old woman. “She’s very delicate and adjusts to the woman’s needs,” says her handler, Melissa Adamson.

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Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs
Daisey

A two-year-old French bulldog Daisey is the youngest pup in the Pearson group, with just a year of experience. Her handler, Ali Meilach, is the intake coordinator at St John Ambulance therapy dog program, and this is the first time she’s been able to work directly in the field.

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs
Zorie

A seven-year-old golden retriever Zorie’s been a therapy dog for five years—she regularly visits a nursing home and helps people recovering from strokes. Her handler, Cathy Loik, says Zorie never seems to tire out and loves to be the leader of the pack. “She thinks she’s in charge of the group,” says Loik. She spends summers at the cottage, where she paddle boards with Loik and hunts for fish in the lake.

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs
Hunter

A five-year-old golden retriever After three years of obedience training, Hunter’s handler, Melissa Wong, decided to give obstacle courses a try. But things didn’t go so well. “I told him to run through this tunnel and he looked at me like, 'You run through the tunnel,’” says Wong. She decided therapy might be more his speed.

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs
Kahlua

A seven-year-old chocolate Labradoodle Before Kahlua became a therapy dog, he spent a lot of time with Joanne Vanderberg’s father-in-law, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s while living in a long-term-care facility. “Kahlua was the only thing that would make him relax,” says Vanderberg. “We thought he might be able to help other people, too.” He’s super-calm, but goes absolutely crazy for balls.

Here are a few more shots of the dogs on the job. Ringo Starr loves to lean into people:

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Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs

Luna clearly enjoys getting her head scratched:

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs

Kahlua is kid-friendly:

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs

Ghost likes the smell of this luggage:

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs

Those eyes!

Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs

Daisey is baby-approved:

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Meet Pearson Airport's new therapy dogs

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