Therapy dogs – reduce the fear of flying – Respublika.lt

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Passengers waiting for flights could experience the effects of therapy animals. Lithuanian airport photo.

A new practice was tested for the first time in Lithuanian airports – short therapeutic sessions with dogs for passengers. Passengers waiting for flights in the departure area of ​​Vilnius airport could experience the effects of professionally prepared therapeutic animals. Scientific research has proven that canine therapy helps to relax, calms and puts you in a positive mood.

A new practice was tested for the first time in Lithuanian airports – short therapeutic sessions with dogs for passengers. Passengers waiting for flights in the departure area of ​​Vilnius airport could experience the effects of professionally prepared therapeutic animals. Scientific research has proven that canine therapy helps to relax, calms and puts you in a positive mood.

“The idea to welcome specialists with therapy dogs to Vilnius airport came from observing the good practice of foreign countries. Specially trained dogs at airports help relax passengers who are anxious before a flight. In Italy, similar projects have recently been successfully implemented at the Milan airport, as well as in Krakow, so we decided to carry out a pilot project. Specialists of the Professional Canine Therapy Service of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences offered to come to the guests with their pets. The animals received a lot of attention and warm words – they perfectly fulfilled their mission by giving passengers a great experience,” said Beatričė Skardžė, Head of Communication and Sustainability Projects at Lithuanian Airports.

Doberman dog Argas and his friend Loja – four-legged animals who passed special exams – actively participated in the new initiative at Vilnius airport. Miglė Zuokaitė, an employee of the professional canitherapy service of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), and Mindaugas Sėjūnas, a professional canitherapy assistant at the LSMU, helped the pets to communicate with the passengers.

“Scientific studies show that oxytocin – one of the hormones of happiness – is released in the human body during canine therapy. As a result, the mood improves, the tension subsides. That was the effect of Argo and Loja at Vilnius airport. Their visit first lifted the spirits of the staff, and then the smiles on the faces of the passengers started to increase as well. Many people extended their hands, talked, wanted to take pictures with the dogs. Many travelers have admitted that they are hearing about canine therapy for the first time, and until now they thought that dogs at airports can only be used to check passengers and luggage”, M. Sėjūnas shared his impressions.

Anxiety or stress before a flight, sometimes turning into serious fear, is a phenomenon known to scientists for a long time. For almost 40 years, researchers have been trying to find out why some people’s state changes and their well-being worsens before flying in an aircraft. Answers are also being sought to help passengers manage negative feelings and emotions. It was established that more than a third of people can feel heightened anxiety before a trip, and a few percent – 2-5 percent. – individuals experience fear, which is classified as clinical phobia.

After noticing that interacting with dogs reduces the anxiety of passengers, researchers began to apply the practice of canine therapy more and more often in airports as well. Passengers around the world have recognized the positive effect of therapy on their emotional state – playing with a dog and petting it relaxes, gets rid of negative thoughts, improves mood, and reduces stress.

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