ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Holiday travel — the traffic, parking, delays and cancellations — can lead to a stressful experience.
But there is a group in the Tampa Bay area that hopes to bring a little relief along the way.
"Project Pup" is a non-profit that started in Tampa, connecting therapy dogs with people at nursing homes, hospitals, airports and more.
On Wednesday at the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport, several volunteers brought their dogs to help ease stress and anxiety among holiday travelers.
"This is the best thing ever! Every airport should have this," traveler Andrea Evans said. "For dog people, this is such a gift."
John Turner is the President of Project Pup and has been working with the non-profit for three decades.
"We provide that little space for them to hug and love on the dogs and make them feel comfortable," he said. "The dogs seem to bring a calmness to everything and it's truly unconditional love."
Each owner volunteers their time for Project Pup. Turner said he gets just as much out of it as the people who interact with the dogs.
"I found, for me, to see others smile, helps complete me," Turner said.
In a statement, the spokesperson for St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport Michele Routh said:
"Our passengers love our PIE PUPS. Whether they are a little nervous flying, going through a difficult time, or just enjoying the company, it is always great to see our passengers and pups smile and wag!"