Edinburgh Airport yesterday (March 3) invited 12 guide dog puppies along with their walkers from Guide Dogs Scotland, to take part in a terminal walkthrough training exercise. The initiative is part of the airport’s ‘travelling with additional needs’ program and will help the puppies to gain crucial experience in a busy airport environment.
The pups, aged between six and 15 months, arrived at the terminal with their puppy walkers for a full airport walkthrough, from arriving at the check-in hall, to going through security and into the departure lounge.
Sarah Gardiner, head of terminal operations at Edinburgh Airport, said, “We’re very pleased to welcome the guide dog puppies and their handlers into the airport today so we can help give them valuable training for their future.
“We launched our ‘travelling with additional needs program’ last April and have spent the last 12 months working hard with our terminal and security teams to help us better understand the complex requirements that some of our passengers may have.
David Smith, puppy walking supervisor with Guide Dogs Scotland, said, “Fully qualified guide dogs are required to face a variety of settings and situations with calmness and confidence, and early tastes of different environments will see them experienced for later life.”