21 FEB 2019: I love dogs, but I just don’t get this. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority says 15 dog teams from the St. John Ambulance will be roaming terminals 1 and 3 at Pearson International Airport on a weekly rotation in an effort to relieve travellers’ tensions.

Having actually worked at Pearson for more years than I care to think about, dogs and handlers wandering about looking to be petted (the dogs – not the handlers) will not relieve tensions but will simply add to the congestion and likely frustrate those passengers who are already preoccupied with bags and documents and security and trying to focus on what they need to do and where they need to go and need to get by people stopping to pet dogs.

I may sound Scroogey on this – but it’s entirely too touchy-feely for a busy airport.

However…

… the dogs can be recognized by their red and white St. John Ambulance bandanas, and will be accompanied by handlers wearing blue Pearson airport vests.

The agency says passengers are welcome to approach the dogs and pet them.

It says the airport served more than 47 million passengers in 2017, making it the second-busiest North American international airport.

Woof!