SJC was the first airport to offer therapy dogs in the terminals, starting shortly after 9/11 to help calm passengers’ nerves before flying.
SJC’s Interfaith Chaplain Volunteer Kathryn Liebschutz owned a trained rescue/therapy Boxer/Great Dane mix dog named Orion. She asked for permission to bring Orion to SJC to alleviate travelers’ anxieties about taking to the skies again. Orion was an immediate hit with passengers and employees alike as he and Kathryn spent long hours during that week offering comfort.
Today, the Airport's program, SJC Happy Tails, has 45 active therapy animals including 40 dogs, four cats and, coming soon, one rabbit. There are a variety of breeds and sizes that greet our travelers, each one as full of love as the next.
