YUL PET project breeds good cheer

Re: “Dogs should just be dogs, that’s all” (Letters, Jan. 10)

Our organization was mandated by Aéroports de Montréal to implement the YUL PET Squad pilot project at Trudeau airport. Our first priority was and is the welfare of our canine friends. We carefully planned the project in the summer of 2018. The dogs had to demonstrate they had the social skills to participate. An initial walk at the airport made clear certain dogs were not suitable for this type of environment. Others showed tiredness and were dismissed after a 90-minute shift instead of two hours. The project is more than just about petting a stranger’s dog; it aims to help us reconnect as human beings. Travellers engage with us, often sharing their own pet stories and pictures. We encounter elderly passengers travelling alone amid other travellers who ignore them. For them, just saying hello can change their demeanour to a moment of happiness when a dog is present. At the same time, we take the opportunity to educate the public on everything from how to approach a dog to adoption options or buying from an ethical breeder. I understand the concerns raised by Catherine Kierans in her letter. But I would suggest focusing on dogs that are truly exploited and mistreated — by some commercial breeders, for example — and that genuinely merit an outcry. Johanne Tassé, founder, Companion Animal Adoption Centres of Québec (caacQ), Beaconsfield