The animal heroes working behind the scenes on your holiday

Meet the amazing animals in travel

You’ll meet a lot of people on your holidays. The officers at airport security, the flight attendants who look after you in the air, the concierge who greets you at your hotel. But, for all the humans who make your trip safe and enjoyable, there’s often a furry (or feathery) colleague in action too. From lifeguard dogs to landscaping goats, these are the incredible animals working behind the scenes on your vacation.

Read on to discover the world of travel's most amazing animals...

Detection dogs

These conscientious canines play a vital role in airport security all over the world. With the right training, an acute sense of smell means dogs can detect all manner of contraband including drugs, explosives and cash. Sniffer dogs can work for up to eight hours at a time and may be stationed at seaports and railway stations too.

Detection dogs

Training lasts for around two months. The dogs are taught to retrieve a tennis ball which will gradually be scented. When a dog detects something suspicious, they’ll fix their eyes and nose on the area in question until their human handler inspects. Single sniffer dogs have been known to uncover millions of pounds in cash and thousands of pounds worth of concealed Class A drugs.

Stress therapy dogs

As well as possessing keen noses, dogs also reduce stress in their human companions. Some airports now offer pet therapy programmes, allowing anxious passengers to socialise with four-legged friends before taking off. Handlers and their animal squads focus on people experiencing delays or cancellations or those with a fear of flying.

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Stress therapy dogs

One of the most established animal therapy programmes is at San Francisco International Airport. The Wag Brigade, a 300-strong team of furry friends, launched in 2013. Their number includes Ollie, an oversized Golden Doodle dubbed a 'love bug', Wrigley, a lovable Newdle (Newfoundland/Poodle), and a playful Maltese/Yorkie mix called George Morkie.

Stress therapy pig

Dogs aren’t the only animals that can help ease pre-flight anxiety. In 2016, the Wag Brigade welcomed a rather special recruit into their ranks. LiLou, the first-known and certified therapy pig, has been a hit with passengers (especially those with allergies to the other, furrier, Wag team members). She knows a lot of tricks, can greet you with her snout and even give you a performance on her toy piano. Just watch out for her wagging tail.

Stress therapy rabbit

Another adorable animal that can de-stress you at the San Francisco International Airport is Alex the rabbit. The Flemish Giant rabbit (considered the largest breed of domestic rabbit) is incredibly docile and patient, making it a perfect addition to the Wag Brigade.

Stress therapy cat

Started in April 2014, Pre-Board Pals is a partnership between Pet Access League and the Calgary Airport Authority. Their team is a mixture of therapy cats and dogs who can help you out if you're a nervous flyer who prefers feline friends. Denver International Airport in Colorado has also added a cat to their ranks. Xeli joined the Canine Airport Therapy Squad (CATS) in 2017 and is still, to this day, the only member of that 90-plus team of animals that isn't a dog.

Stress therapy horses

If you’re not a fan of dogs (or cats or pigs or rabbits), Northern Kentucky International Airport has an alternative: horses. Miniature ponies are drafted in from Seven Oaks Farm for the airport's horse therapy programme. The horses are led round the terminals to the delight of waiting passengers.

Runway birds

Beyond the airport lounge, birds of prey are in action to make your flight safer. In Canada, Falcon Environmental Services train predators like hawks and bald eagles to spook smaller species like gulls, geese and heron, which can impede flight paths. Their birds have worked at airports across North America, including Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada and JFK in the US.

Runway birds

Before being let out on the field, the raptors are trained rigorously. They’re not taught to kill – usually the sight of the birds circling overhead is enough to see off any wildlife lurking below. Ivan, a beady-eyed bald eagle (pictured), is the biggest and baddest of the bunch. He’s used to chase off larger pests like herons.

Runway dogs

Dogs also make an appearance on the runway, chasing birds and other unruly wildlife from flight paths. A few canine colleagues have even made a career out of this adrenaline-fuelled activity.

Runway dogs

Arguably the most famous runway dog ever is K-9 Piper (pictured), the border collie who chased birds from the runway at Michigan Airport. He became something of an internet celebrity, memorable for his reflective goggles and earmuffs. In early 2018, Piper sadly passed away after a long battle with cancer. His owner and handler Brian Edwards, who labelled himself the 'lesser half of the Airport K-9 Team', continues to keep the memory of the iconic Piper alive online.

Landscaping animals

At some airports, animals help out with the gardening. In the US, airports in Chicago and Portland enlist goats – and occasionally sheep, donkeys and llamas – to keep the surrounding flora in check. The goats’ hearty appetite makes them the perfect animal landscapers. Watch out for them the next time you find yourself flying in these parts.

Landscaping animals

In 2015, Portland International Airport employed a team of 40 goats, accompanied by a llama, to manage invasive plants near the airfield, with the llama protecting the goats from predators. Chicago O'Hare International Airport had already initiated a similar programme in 2013, using goats and sheep to control vegetation across its extensive grounds. By 2024, this initiative at O'Hare has entered its 11th year, demonstrating its effectiveness in maintaining the airport's landscape.

Hawks guarding landmarks

Away from the airport, animals help preserve tourist spots. Since the early 2000s, the Greater London Authority in the UK employed birds of prey to help with the capital’s pigeon problem. Pigeons flock around London's top landmarks, encouraged by the promise of food from tourists and the remnants of workers’ lunches. One problem area is Trafalgar Square, the grand piazza fronting the capital's National Gallery.

Hawks guarding landmarks

Despite a ban on feeding pigeons in 2003, the birds still flock to Trafalgar Square. Birds of prey circle the area for several hours at a time in the early morning, warning off the area’s pigeon population. One of London's most famous guardians in recent years has been a Harris hawk called Lemmy, named after the legendary lead singer of Motorhead. Harris hawks are also used to frighten pigeons from the Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh.

Japan’s feline stationmasters

Kishi Station in Japan’s Wakayama prefecture has had a feline stationmaster since 2007 – a role that’s taken very seriously. The first was Tama: a tortoiseshell cat credited with saving the station from dramatic financial decline. People would come from far and wide to meet Tama in her hat and badge. Tama sadly passed away in 2015 and her funeral attracted more than 3,000 mourners, including station officials and admiring members of the public.

Japan’s feline stationmasters

Following in Tama’s pawprints is Nitama, who fought off the competition during a lengthy selection process. But she had the experience, having previously served as Tama’s deputy and stationmaster of Idakiso Station. Station officials believe they made the right choice in Nitama, not least because she “doesn’t dislike wearing a hat”. Other newer feline additions to the station master seat include Sun-tama-tama, a calico cat, and Yontama, an eight-month-old calico cat.

Anti-poaching dogs

It’s estimated that at least 20,000 African elephants are illegally killed for their tusks every year. In 2023, almost 500 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa alone. Dedicated canine units are in an ongoing fight against poaching and are deployed in national parks across Africa. NGO Animals Saving Animals trains these four-legged rangers. The organisation currently has multiple dogs in operation across the continent in destinations such as Kenya and Tanzania and non-African locations such as India and Costa Rica.

Anti-poaching dogs

The dogs undergo intense training before being put to work guarding wildlife, tracking poachers and locating firearms. Favoured for their agility and loyalty, Belgian Malinois are often the breed of choice. Animals Saving Animals also works with bloodhounds and spaniels.

Landmine rats

African giant pouched rats are employed in various countries to sniff out landmines that could otherwise have devastating effects on local communities and international visitors. Not-for-profit organisation APOPO is a leading trainer of landmine rats. The rats’ small light bodies mean they don’t set off the mines and they can search broad areas with super speed and accuracy.

Landmine rats

Mozambique, Tanzania, Angola, Zimbabwe and Cambodia are just some of the countries to have benefited from the rats' work in landmine clearance and tuberculosis detection. Mozambique's Malhazine Ecological Park is one major success story – APOPO's rodent team cleared the area of landmines, and the site is now a large nature reserve and tourist centre. The organisation's work is also a huge benefit to local communities whose access to farmland, vital travel routes and water supplies are impacted by the presence of mines.

Search and rescue rats

In 2022, APOPO’s rodent team revealed its latest project – training rats to help first responders search for survivors in the rubble after natural disasters. The clever rats – known as HeroRATS – are equipped with a tiny, high-tech backpack that features a video-camera, two-way microphone and a location transmitter. The results from initial search and rescue training exercises have proved promising. Development of the rats' backpacks is ongoing, with further operational trials taking place in 2024.

Lifeguard dogs

When enjoying an ocean swim on holiday, it’s a comfort to know that lifeguards are on standby should you find yourself in deep water. In some cases, the lifeguarding team might include a canine hero too. At the UK's RNLI, dogs take on a variety of duties, from assisting with training exercises to embarking on rescue missions.

Lifeguard dogs

Due to their oily fur, webbed feet and fantastic swimming ability, Newfoundland dogs make particularly great lifeguards. The heroic rescue dogs from charity Newfound Friends are making a big splash across the UK and have been commended by the Royal Life Saving Society for their work. The charity also helps run sessions for children on water safety.

Water rescue dogs

Brave water rescue dogs, which include breeds such as golden retrievers, Newfoundlands and German shepherds, have been trained to save people in dangerous depths – and that can mean having to jump off boats, jet skis and even out of helicopters. Pictured here is Oakley, one of two certified water rescue dogs in the USA, who was schooled by the American Academy of Canine Water Rescue in Massachusetts. In 2022, Oakley made headlines when he towed a 2,800-pound (1,270kg) pontoon boat back to safety in Pennsylvania.

Director of Pet Relations

At many boutique Kimpton hotels across the US, the Director of Pet Relations is responsible for greeting canine (and human) guests and testing out the hotels’ pet-friendly facilities. In Kimpton Hotel Vintage Seattle, Marvin, a lively Olde English Bulldogge pup, has taken on the role.

Director of Pet Relations

Theodore (pictured) is another Director of Pet Relations who works at Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia. The toy Morkie is always excited to greet the hotel guests and dogs of any size. His responsibilities include quality testing the pet amenities and attending nightly wine hours. For their hard work the canine hotel workers are paid in yummy treats and enjoyable belly rubs.

Mountain rescue dogs

Every year, thousands of hikers get lost in the great outdoors. Helping to find these missing adventurers are mountain rescue dogs like Sam (pictured) in the North York Moors, England. Because a dog’s sense of smell is between 10,000 and 100,000 times more acute than a human’s, they’re able to effectively sniff out disoriented or injured explorers in vast expanses of hilly terrain.

Cafe cats

If you love cats as much as you love sipping on a cappuccino, then a cat cafe is the place for you. These coffee shops, which have popped up in major cities around the world, add real-life felines to the classic relaxing vibes of a caffeinated drink outlet. In London, Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium is something of an institution. It offers visitors the chance to meet 20 adoptable cats and kittens in wonderland-themed dining rooms. Don’t worry about communicating your food and drink order. The on-site humans will take care of that.

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