DENVER — Denver International Airport this week celebrated the 9th anniversary of its animal therapy program, called CATS (Canine Airport Therapy Squad) with a Halloween gathering in the great hall of the airport.
About 30 of the program’s 124 animal members were present, most of them dressed up in their Halloween best.
“We fully embrace that Halloween theme of just the unique experience and the excitement of seeing an animal dressed up,” said Carla Grahn, the Volunteer Program Manager for DIA. “People travel for thousands of reasons, and they aren't always the happier. They're not super excited to fly… If our CATS team can come out and engage with the passengers and relieve that stress and make their experience here at Denver one to remember, that's what we're shooting for.”
The DIA CATS program is the largest airport animal therapy program in the world, made up of 123 dogs and one feline friend, named Xeli.
“When we adopted her 12 years ago as a kitten, she grew up with our puppy at the time, and so she kind of thinks she's a dog,” said Liane Pensack-Rinehart, a CATS volunteer and owner of Xeli. “So, she loves dogs, which is why it's great that she's here surrounded by dogs.”
Barbara Weiss, another CATS volunteer and owner of Gabriel, who was dressed up as a firefighter, believes the animals get as much out of the program as the people they help do.
“He's a good egg about wearing costumes, which is fun, and he loves coming here,” said Weiss. “He gets so excited when we pull up in the car, he starts howling, and I have to wait till he calms down, because he is so happy to be here.”
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