Aside from his raspy breathing, Waffles the French bulldog didn’t make a sound as passengers rushed by him on a busy Friday afternoon at Logan. But even in his silent state, it didn’t take long for animal lovers to spot his “Pet Me” vest and grow visibly excited at the sight of the therapy dog.
“Look at this big loaf. I love a loaf dog,” said Linda Gomes, as she reached down and began rigorously petting Waffles and complimenting him on his general state of adorableness. She was quickly followed by fellow passenger Jim Reed, who repeatedly told Waffles that he was a good boy as he scratched the dog’s haunches. Waffles responded with what appeared to be a wide grin.
On Friday afternoon, Waffles was joined by Buster, a white West Highland White Terrier, and Remmington, a Giant Schnauzer, at a press conference as Logan officials announced a pilot program to bring therapy dogs into the airport to help soothe harried passengers. Despite an appearance from Governor Maura Healey, the dogs seemed to be the center of attention throughout the afternoon.
Therapy dogs began appearing in airports shortly after 9/11, and have become a popular feature since. Dozens of airports throughout the United States employ therapy dogs to help calm passengers as they rush to their flights or wait for their luggage to emerge on the carousel. Massport CEO Rich Davey thought it was time that Logan introduced the canines to Boston.
“One of our ambitions is to be a best-five mega airport in the next three years in terms of overall customer satisfaction,” he said. “It’s not a new idea, but we’re borrowing this idea of therapy dogs. Certainly, the research shows that having pets around can reduce blood pressure and stress, and as you know, travel can be stressful for any number of reasons.”
According to Carl Kaplan, who was at the airport with Buster, a white West Highland White Terrier, a therapy dog is essentially “just a really well-trained dog.” Buster was certified through a national program called the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. According to the organization’s website, it “provides testing, certification, registration, support, and insurance for members who volunteer with their dogs in animal-assisted activities.”
Kaplan, who lives in Winchester, brings Buster into settings such as hospitals and schools. The airport was a new experience for the dog, but Kaplan said Buster was not bothered by the crowds, the buzzers going off at baggage claim, or the many hands reaching down to give the fuzzy white dog some love.
Kaplan and 13-year-old Buster are not paid to visit Logan. They are volunteers.
“I don’t want anyone to ever think that we get paid,” he said. “He’s done almost 600 visits, and when I think of all the great experiences I’ve had, I just couldn’t conceive of taking money for that.”
Similarly, Waffles’ owner, Karen Oemler of Somerville, said she brings her therapy dog to drug rehabilitation centers, high schools, and libraries for free.
“The whole idea of a therapy dog is to bring joy,” she said. “And during these troubled times, what’s better than helping someone who’s having travel anxiety, or maybe flying to a funeral, or going to travel to see a sick relative. It makes me feel like maybe I’m doing a little bit to help.”
Christopher Muther can be reached at christopher.muther@globe.com. Follow him @Chris_Muther and Instagram @chris_muther.
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