Since 2017, the airport has also had a pet therapy program called the Less Airport Stress Initiative or LASI (get it?).
Until now, the LASI program was staffed with dogs.
But this summer, the airport is adding miniature therapy ponies to the team.
Throughout the summer, Miniature horses, Magic and Tinkerbell (3 and 17 years old respectively), and their handlers will be visiting from Green Acres, a local organization dedicated to equine-assisted activities (EAA) to improve well-being.
So pack some carrots in your carry-on.
While YVR may be the first airport in Canada to welcome miniature horses to the airport, they are not the first airport in North America to do so.
Love dogs and looking for a fun, free 2025 calendar?
Then check out the 2025 Canine Calendar put out – for free – by the Transportation Security Administration.
The calendar features 13 hard-working TSA canines selected from more than 80 entries submitted by TSA teams nationwide. Each month features photos, fun facts about each winning pup as well as notations for special holidays, such as Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21) and World Chocolate Day (July 7).
The 2025 TSA Canine Calendar also includes factoids about the history of TSA’s canine program.
For example, if you turn to the March 2025 page you’ll learn that the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) canine program was created after a bomb threat at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on March 15, 1972.
“On that day, moments into a flight, the airline received an anonymous call warning about a bomb onboard. The aircraft returned to JFK where passengers were evacuated and a bomb-sniffing dog named Brandy was brought on board to search. Brandy found the explosive device 12 minutes before it was set to detonate.“
Yay, Brandy!
Today, there are more than 1,000 canine teams (dogs and handlers) deployed at more than 100 of the nation’s airports, mass transit and maritime systems.
Not just any dog is suited to work with the TSA.
According to the TSA, each year about 300 new canine recruits complete an intensive 16-week training program at the TSA Canine Training Center, located at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas.
While in training, the dogs are paired with their handlers and then master the art of detecting a variety of explosives odors. The dogs are also trained on how to do their sensitive work while on duty in busy transportation environments.
Monday, August 26, was National Dog Day and airports around the country took the opportunity to celebrate the therapy dogs and their people who volunteer to hang out in the terminals helping passengers de-stress.
Here’s a sampling of some of the celebrations. Let us know if we missed yours.
For #NationalDogDay we'd like to highlight the tail-wagging blast we had at our Dogs Days of Summer pawrade earlier this month! 🐾
Our volunteers were back at it, spreading joy and bringing smiles to travelers' faces. It's always a paw-ty when the K-9 Crew stops thru! 🐶 pic.twitter.com/obbAwYMaM4
Today was a very special #NationalDogDay at #PHLAirport as we celebrated the 5th anniversary of the Wagging Tails Brigade, our therapy dog program! Several members of the program were present to celebrate with cake, music and lots of pets! Happy Birthday, Wagging Tails Brigade! pic.twitter.com/yL3h1Z4dzz
Today, a larger-than-normal group of #BradleyBuddies visited with passengers for photos, and of course, plenty of pets.
The program celebrates its 7th anniversary this month, with over 15 volunteers regularly visiting to brighten passengers' days. pic.twitter.com/QRVzsHKdO1
Happy National Dog Day! 🐶 We LOVE having our therapy dogs around PIT because they provide lots of joy in the form of cuddles and comfort. pic.twitter.com/JmNwcUFY7r
— Pittsburgh International Airport (@PITairport) August 26, 2024
It's International Dog Day, and we celebrated with our furry friends from @PALSCalgary (Pet Access League Society) and @FlyYYC ! 🐶✈️
PALS is a volunteer pet visitation service that brings much-needed pet therapy to those who need it most. You can often find them hanging out by… pic.twitter.com/plbN7cK7iW
On #NationalDogDay, we are proud to recognize our great therapy dogs for always bringing a smile to our travelers’ faces.
The #IAHTherapyDogs are an important part of our mighty team. And while not all our doggies are in the picture, we appreciate all of them 🫶 pic.twitter.com/1eO9vTVokx
And, look! After all the votes were counted, Barni from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has been crowned the Cutest Canine for 2024.
BARKING NEWS: It’s National Dog Day so you know what that means… DRUMROLL PLEASE. 🥁
Put your paws together for our 2024 Cutest Canine Contest Winner. Barni from @flySFO was crowned the cutest of them all this year! Boop the heart button to give him some extra love.
Perhaps you’ve seen news reports about the four zebras that escaped from a trailer on a highway east of Seattle this week. 3 were quickly captured, but one is still on the loose.
Here's something you don't see every day: Zebras on the loose in Washington.
The zebras escaped a trailer on Sunday afternoon. Three of them were captured, but one zebra is still on the loose, as of Monday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/zcG9er72c1
There have been some real sightings of the last zebra out in the woods and we hope he’s found safe soon.
But in the meantime, locals are having a great time spotting the zebra in other places, including at the airport, on a ferry, on a bridge, at the Department of Motor Vehicles, in a police car and lots of other places.
While we’re getting used to seeing stripes at SEA, we’re not sure this belongs to us. 😕 Better call our wildlife biologist! #NorthBendZebra 🦓 pic.twitter.com/3S7DL3eM9j
— Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport (@flySEA) May 2, 2024
Apparently the zebra that escaped from the North Bend facility was last seen on the ferry to Bremerton. pic.twitter.com/twp3QA5lzE
We can confirm that a wayward #zebra stopped in briefly this morning at our West Seattle driver licensing office. He said he needed an enhanced ID to cross the border. We reminded him that he's a zebra and he can just, you know, cross if he wants to. 🦓 pic.twitter.com/XjSqt7YHv4
— Washington State Department of Licensing (@WA_DOL) May 2, 2024
Not because of the people. But because of the animals.
As part of SAT’s “Summer of Fun,” Zoomagination, an animal advocate program, brought a boa constrictor, an opossum, a parrot, and two sloths to the airport for animal encounters with travelers.
Why two sloths? Sloths sleep 18-20 hours a day, so when Snooze the Sloth needed a nap, Yogi took over.
🌴🥥 (@jwcreighton3) 
