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 44 active and certified therapy animals including 43 dogs, one cat and one rabbit. The animal handlers (owners) are all volunteers and bring their therapy pets to the Airport in their spare time – most often during evenings and weekends.