How SFO’s Wag Brigade Helps Passengers Relax Before Takeoff?
Travel days can be quite taxing, but SFO’s Wag Brigade is a breath of fresh air at the terminal. The Wag Brigade is a group of certified therapy animals that help air travelers de-stress by providing fun experiences. See how the Wag Brigade at SFO makes waiting for a flight a fun way to start your trip.
Meet the Wag Brigade Members
The SFO Wag Brigade features trained therapy animals that roam the terminals, offering comfort and stress relief to travelers.
| Name | Breed / Type | Instagram Handle | Know more about them |
| Babo | Cockapoo | @our_buddy_babo | Babo has one brown and one blue eye. He enjoys the company of people and detests being alone. He enjoys the beach with his ball. |
| Bandi | Rescue Pup | @loverboybandi | The group CWOB (Compassion Without Borders) rescued Bandi in Mexico. He enjoys visiting children of varied ages and enjoys attention. |
| Bailey | English Cocker Spaniel | @thebaileyshow_ | She is from the United Kingdom. She enjoys her job as a therapy dog and smiles and wags her tail joyfully at whoever she meets. She even enjoys snoozing lazily on the sofa, and sniffing her treat. |
| Bombay | English Lab | @BombayTheLab | This chocolate colored lab was born in December 2015 along with ten siblings. He weighed 13 pounds then and presently is a huge canine of 104 pounds. He enjoys meeting new people but dislikes a bath, mushrooms, and fireworks. |
| Brixton | (Unspecified) | @brixtonatlarge | He is serious about his job as a therapy dog. He enjoys kisses, shakes, and tail wags. |
| Chanel | Miniature Cockapoo | @chanel_happy_ | This is a Cocker spaniel – Poodle cross and loves the spotlight. She is a true fashionista and has varied outfits for different occasions. |
| Fonzie | Rescue Dog | @fonziethetherapydog | He was a shelter dog from where he was adopted. He is extremely cool in demeanor. |
| George Morkie | Morkie | @georgemorkie | This Maltese-Yorkie mix travels around 50,000 miles each year on air. He spends his weekend by visiting rehabs and nursing homes spreading happiness among people. |
| Hans | French Bulldog | @HANS_FRENCHBULLDOG | He is a googly-eyed Frenchman having a German name |
| Indiana Jones (Indy) | (Unspecified) | @indy.ana.sf | Known as Indy, he is a therapy dog during the day and barking dog at night. |
| Jack | (Unspecified) | @jackinthabarx | He is mindful, stoic, and loving, enjoying a hiking or a running spree, He even loves eating and loves human company. |
| Jackson | Miniature Australian Shepherd | (None provided) | He is easygoing, and an extrovert, loving to make new friends. |
| Lia | Corgi | @corgi.lia | The Everyone Loves Corgis founding member, Lia seems to be the most connected of all Corgis, loving to be around people. |
| LiLou | Therapy Pig | @lilou_sfpig | A proud city pig, LiLou brings positivity and smiles wherever she goes. This hypoallergenic pig knows several tricks. |
| Lucca | (Unspecified) | (None provided) | Lucca is the newest addition to the SFO Wag Brigade. It enjoys its role as a therapy dog and even has an immense love of chasing squirrels. |
| Luna | Italian Greyhound | @misslunatheiggy | She is small but mighty, quite courageous and high-spirited. She loves training in tricks, agility, swimming and scentwork. |
| Lupin | (Unspecified) | (None provided) | He enjoys an immense love for the outdoors and has even been on adventures across the cliffs of Utah, snow-capped Lake Tahoe and more. |
| Mithai | Cotondetulear Pomeranian | @cocomamaz | He is a small dog with a big personality and loves to make new friends. |
| Noodles | Giant Doodle | @noodlethedoodlesf | This extra large Golden doodle enjoys making new friends and brings sunshine to the lives of whoever he meets. |
| Ollie | Doodle | @oliver_ollie_thedoodle | This Golden doodle -Australian Labradoodle mix, Ollie is a gentle giant with a sweet, affectionate, intelligent, and sociable personality. |
| Orion | Great Pyrenees | @orion.the.great | This one is a gentle giant and a cuddly dog as well. Born in Ohio, and brought up in Boston, Orion has 15 road trips to his credit. |
| Otis | (Unspecified) | (None provided) | Otis was born during the middle of COVID and fondly enjoys donuts. |
| Philbert | Rat Terrier Mix | (None provided) | This Rat terrier mix loves to explore and make new friends. Besides work, he enjoys training in agility and also competes in AKC’s obedience competition. |
| Ponzu | Cavapoo | @ponzuthepup | This tri-colored dog loves fun, kisses, and cuddles. She loves swimming, chasing her friends and going to the park and fetching sticks. |
| Roman | Australian Shepherd | (None provided) | This 9-year old male breed loves to relax and enjoys snacks. |
| Roogie | Brussels Griffon | @rugelach_griff | Roogie is lovable and enjoys chicken, eggs, and not to mention even cuddles. |
| Shadow | Lab | @FogCityShadow | He is gentle, bringing joy everywhere he goes. He is sporty, and enjoys displaying his skill when in an agility class. At the same time he even enjoys an ear rub or a good chew toy. |
| Timo | Golden Retriever | @timo_goldentherapy | This charming breed has a big golden smile to light up everyone’s days. |
| Toffee | (Unspecified) | (None provided) | Her sweet, sticky disposition absolutely matches her personality with her name. |
| Violet | (Unspecified) | (None provided) | This fancy looking dog has a down-to-earth disposition and enjoys meeting new people. |
| Ziggy | Cavapoo | @ziggythepuppers | This 20 lb cute breed is a Cavapoo x King Charles Cavalier spaniel mix. He enjoys meeting people, an ear rub, chicken traits and a lot more. |
SFO’s Wag Brigade Explained
Traveling at San Francisco International Airport becomes more cheerful because of SFO’s Wag Brigade, which is a lovable program that helps to reduce the passengers’ stress by giving them access to friendly, certified therapy animals. The Wag Brigade brings specially trained dogs and even one famous pig to roam the terminals, offering comfort, joy, and plenty of cuddles to travelers of all ages.
How the Wag Brigade Began?
- The program was developed with the San Francisco SPCA, whose Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Program provides certification for each therapy animal based on temperament, behavior, and suitability for an airport environment. Three years after the launch, the team grew even more unique when LiLou, a charming Juliana pig, joined as the world’s first certified therapy pig. SFO launched the Wag Brigade program on the 3rd of December 2013 with the purpose of making passenger’s travel at the airport a more enjoyable and seamless one.
- Each Wag Brigade canine is selectively bred for its calm personality, friendliness, and ability to bring comfort to the travelers. Such creatures reduce stress, give delightful moments, and turn ordinary airport days into unforgettable experiences.
Where to Find the Wag Brigade?
- Terminal 3 – Departures Level (Level 2)
- By the airline check-in counters and gates, these furry ambassadors can be seen proudly wearing the “Pet Me!” vests that help identify them in a better way.
Explore All Animal-Friendly Zones at SFO Airport
Discover the various animal-friendly areas at San Francisco International Airport that were created to make the journey comfortable for pets. Thanks to SFO’s pet relief areasthat are conveniently spread out across the terminals, to ensure that your four-legged friends can relax, rejuvenate, and stay stress-free before takeoff.
- SFO has thoughtful pet relief areas scattered throughout the airport to provide easy travel with animals.
- None of the areas has time restrictions and is therefore available 24/7.
- The sites are equipped with essentials, such as water bowls, mutt-mitt dispensers, and garbage disposal stations to keep them clean and hygienic.
- Introduce natural elements, like trees and shrubs, for a serene, animal-friendly area.
- Every location is wheelchair-accessible, ensuring inclusivity for all travelers.
- Clean, safe, and well-planned facilities make travel easy and enjoyable for pets and the people who accompany them.
Conclusion
SFO’s Wag Brigade is a prime example of how even the busiest airports can be warm, welcoming, and calming. This initiative, which brings trained therapy animals directly to passengers, helps replace flight anxiety with moments of joy, relaxation, and connection. In fact, there’s nothing more relaxing than a gentle cuddle with these adorable dogs at the airport, which in itself makes the journey less tiring.
By focusing on passengers’ mental health,SFO’s Wag Brigade continues to demonstrate that small acts of kindness, when done with four paws, can transform the time before departure into a truly fulfilling one.
FAQs
SFO’s Wag Brigade is a program where certified therapy animals, such as coyotes and pigs, roam the terminal. This helps passengers relax and reduce travel stress.
The Wag Brigade is usually found in Terminal 3, Level 2, at the departure gates or at the check-in counters area. However, they roam throughout the airport throughout the day.
All Wag Brigade animals wear “Pet Me!” vests, making them easy for passengers to identify and interact with.
All Wag Brigade members are certified by the San Francisco SPCA Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) program and are carefully selected based on their calm temperament and suitability for busy airport settings.
Absolutely! Travelers are welcome to take photos and share them, as long as the animal handler says it’s okay.