Wag Brigade

The Wag Brigade at the San Francisco International Airport began in 2013 to provide stress relief for travelers. Our goal is to help ease the stress of air travel and delight passengers making travel more enjoyable.

Our Wag Brigade teams can be spotted in the terminals nearly every day of the week! We have several canine teams, one cat team plus LiLou, a Juliana therapy pig!

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“Being able to participate in AAT is the closest you will ever get to sprinkling the world with happy fairy dust. I am humbled every time someone tells me meeting my dog was the best thing that happened to them that day. That week. That month. And this happens all the time.”

"During visits to a psychiatric hospital, Bruce typically greets everyone and then most people share their experiences with animals at any point in their lives. At the conclusion of a visit, one of the doctors walking me out told me that prior to our visit, one of the patients who interacted with us hadn't said a word to anyone in weeks! This is higher impact work than we realize, and we're so glad to be a part of it!"

“There is a certain magic to watching patients sit with a very large chocolate lab (sometimes snoring or drooling), and seeing how their day seems to dramatically improve.”

“Jacee loves working with children in both the General and Puppy Dog Tales programs. She has a special gift of being able to help children who are afraid of dogs be comfortable with her.”

“Being part of Animal Assisted Therapy provides an amazing way to bring calm and a smile to people's faces who are often lonely or isolated. The simple act of letting people see or pet Dudley brings them joy — and it lets me spend more quality time with my favorite friend, my dog.”

“It is always a JOY to have an AAT team visit our center! Our Seniors light up when they meet our furry friends. Because AAT dogs are so accepting and unconditionally loving, our Seniors are eager to interact with them. How heartwarming it is to see our Seniors smiling and playing with these furry creatures. If all we need is love, AAT delivers love all the time!”

“My 6-year-old son has trouble focusing. Because of that, school, and reading in particular has been a challenge for us. He loves when others read to him, but to get him to read is not easy. But when it comes to reading to Nev – he looks forward to his sessions and he can’t wait to read. He grabs one of his favorite Splat the Cat books and he reads for the full half an hour!”

“I emailed SPCA San Francisco asking about a virtual reading program through which my girls could possibly read and talk to a dog. I didn't know how my girls would do with it all, but I wanted to give it a try. I got a reply [from AAT] who sincerely wanted to help. After a call or two, we were all set up and matched with a beautiful and patient Bernese mountain dog named Daisy and her wonderful and supportive owner, Sandy. During the first virtual visit, my girls immediately read and talked to Daisy -- and Sandy! I was so pleasantly surprised. ”

“When Callie and I walked into an ICU to visit interns and residents, we were asked if we could meet a patient who had been in a coma for a month and who was sadly unresponsive. They’d tried multiple sensory options to revive her. All had failed. We walked into the room, Callie’s paws hit the bed and immediately the patient’s eyes opened, she wiggled her toes and tried to speak despite being intubated. She grabbed Callie’s fur and pet her head over and over. Callie stayed still but her tail was a-wagging. I’ll never forget that jolt of electricity that zipped through the room as everyone watched in awe and realized what just happened!”

“Max and I love our volunteer work with the AAT program. Whether it's a day at a senior home, hospital or at SFO with the Wag Brigade, the experience is so rewarding and pawsitive. Knowing we've shared a bit of joy, made someone smile, or comforted someone makes our day!”

“Bringing joy to someone's day via animal interactions is why I chose to volunteer in the AAT program. I especially enjoy mentoring new AAT teams as well as training staff dogs for visits. A.J., a Labrador mix, was the first staff dog I trained and who holds a very special place in my heart. A natural for the program, A.J. would sit and hold out her paw to every person who wanted to meet her. A romantic at heart all she wanted was to hold hands and an ear rub!”

“We have enjoyed SF SPCA AAT visits here at the Peer Wellness Center for about four years now. Our members look forward to weekly visits with great anticipation, excitement, and fondness. Relationships with human and animal companions have been built, fostered, and established throughout the years. During the pandemic, we have shifted to virtual ZOOM AAT visits. It may seem like in-person visits with touch, and a deeply meaningful, warm, and intimate connection may be lost during virtual video visits, but we have found the exact opposite to be true. Our weekly virtual visits have proven to be more popular than ever!”

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