Dogs get airport bathrooms of their own

In this April 26, 2016 photo, John John visits the new pet relief area at New York's John F. Kennedy airport before he and his owner Taylor Robbins head home on a flight to Atlanta. A "pet relief" area opened in the international air terminal at JFK to help passengers taking their dogs on a long flight.
In this April 26, 2016 photo, John John visits the new pet relief area at New York's John F. Kennedy airport before he and his owner Taylor Robbins head home on a flight to Atlanta. A "pet relief" area opened in the international air terminal at JFK to help passengers taking their dogs on a long flight.

NEW YORK — Little Simba couldn't wait to check it out.

The poodle was among the first to try a special bathroom just for animals at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. It was among a growing number of "pet relief facilities" being installed at major air hubs across the country.

"There's a fire hydrant in there," Simba's owner, Heidi Liddell, said as she opened the pawprint-marked door between the men's and women's rooms.

It didn't take long for the dog to sidle up to the little red hydrant atop a patch of artificial turf and do her business. A dispenser of plastic doggie bags and a hose was provided for the owners to clean the area for the next pet.

The 70-square-foot room at JFK's Terminal 4 allows dogs and other animals to relieve themselves without needing to exit the building — a step that requires an annoying second trip through the security line.

"We had seen an increase of passengers traveling with pets, and we decided to do it sooner rather than later," said Susana Cunha, vice president of the management company that operates the terminal.

Guide and service dogs, emotional support animals and other pets traveling with passengers are all welcome to use the facilities.

A federal regulation will require that all airports that service more than 10,000 passengers a year install a pet relief area in every terminal by August. Airports that already have them include Dulles International outside Washington D.C., Chicago's O'Hare and Seattle-Tacoma International.

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