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Therapy dog to greet Dayton airport travelers

Travelers at Dayton International Airport may now be greeted by a 16-month-old certified therapy dog.

Kida, a chocolate goldendoodle, and her handler, Molly Arneson, will make rounds at the airport weekly to comfort passengers and ease their anxieties, according to a release from the airport.

Kida is the airport’s first and only therapy dog, and she began her duties on Passenger Appreciation Day on Feb. 12, the release says.

“We realize that traveling, especially in planes or with children, can be very stressful,” Arneson says. “Just meeting and petting a dog can reduce that stress and bring a smile.”

Alliance of Therapy Dogs certified Arneson and Kida as a pet therapy team in October, according to the release.

They will spend up to two hours at a time at the airport, the release says.

Kida has lived with Arneson since she was 14 weeks old and has been raised as a service dog for the non-profit 4 Paws for Ability in Xenia. The organization decided she might also be a breeder, with the hope her future puppies could also be service dogs.

Other airports around the country, including those in San Jose, Miami, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Los Angeles, also bring in service dogs for their passengers, the release says.

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