Airport pet relief area
Airport pet relief area is an area inside a United States airport security area designated for animals to urinate. They are mandated by U.S. transportation rules for working dogs and service animals since c. 2015. According to Delta Airlines, "all airports in the U.S. offer designated animal relief areas",[2] and the United Airlines flyer app has a feature to find animal relief areas in airports.[3]
The United States Department of Transportation mandated the areas in a 2015 rule with the justification that they will "reduce the amount of effort and discomfort experienced by individuals with disabilities when trying to relieve their service animals during a layover".[4] Cost of implementation is estimated at over $80 million.[5]
Airport relief areas operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Port of Seattle's SeattleâTacoma International Airport include replica fire hydrants.[1] The Seattle indoor pet relief area predated the 2015 mandate.[6] Other airports with relief areas inside the security zone, predating the mandate, include San Diego Lindbergh Field, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.[7] John F. Kennedy International Airport's Terminal 5 has what USA Today calls "the first post-security dog walk area on a rooftop", which opened in 2015.[8]
References
[edit]- 1 2 Cheryl Albiez (August 22, 2023). "Every Dog Has Its Day at Port Authority Airports' Pet Spaces". Official website. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
- â "Accessible travel services: trained service animals â Check-in: pet relief areas". Official website. Delta Airlines. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
- â "Service animals". Official website. United Airlines. 2026-10-25.
If your dog does need to relieve themselves while at the airport, use the United app to find a designated animal relief area.
- â Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance (U.S. Airports) (PDF), United States Department of Transportation, July 29, 2015, RIN 2105-AD91, Docket No. DOT-OST-2011-0182
- â Harriet Baskas (October 23, 2016), Your Local Airport Now Comes With a Mini Hydrant for Fido, NBC News
- â Harriet Baskas (February 20, 2013), "Sea-Tac Airport Secrets: Tips and tricks for making your terminal time bearableâand, dare we say it, educational", Seattle Met
- â Kelly Carter (2014). "Animal relief areas at airports". The Dog Lover's Guide to Travel. National Geographic. p. 14. OCLC 854613893.
- â Harriet Baskas (July 1, 2015). "JetBlue opens outdoor rooftop lounge, with dog walk, at NYC's JFK Airport". USA Today.
