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- Portland airport is using llamas and alpacas for stress relief at its terminals.
- Travel anxiety is common, and fears like missing boarding can worsen mental health conditions.
- Animal therapy appears to lower anxiety and promote mood-lifting hormones.
An airport in Oregon is trying to ease nervous flyers’ concerns by providing them with access to an unusual animal therapy program.
Portland International Airport says it has partnered with Mountain Peaks Therapy to bring llamas and alpacas into its terminals every few weeks, hoping to alleviate some of the stress associated with air travel , according to NPR .
The farm, based in Ridgefield, Washington, has five llamas and six alpacas, which it says are certified to interact with passengers in a calming manner. Its website says it costs about $650 an hour per animal.
Studies have shown that animal therapy has minor to moderately positive effects on those struggling with an array of mental illnesses, though academics say more research needs to be done on its efficacy.