Together with their trainers, the dogs took part in YVR's PADS Tour Program—an initiative designed to give service dogs early exposure to the busy sights, sounds, and smells of an airport. From practicing commands near busy check-in counters, to calmly boarding an Air Canada aircraft, to visiting pet relief areas and quiet spaces, the tour covers all aspects of the airport experience and provides dogs with valuable practice for their future role as assistance animals.

The program is part of YVR’s commitment to accessibility, ensuring every passenger feels welcome, supported, and able to experience air travel with confidence.

More than just a tour

For individuals living with disabilities, air travel can be a stressful experience. Many PADS dogs are trained to assist people with mobility or hearing impairments, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or to work alongside professionals in healthcare, education, justice, and wellness sectors.

Through the YVR PADS Tour, dogs are able to practice both basic skills and program-specific commands depending on whether they are training toward mobility, hearing, or PTSD support. With support this year from Air Canada, participants also practiced a major part of the traveller journey: boarding and sitting in an aircraft. These early experiences make a huge difference as dogs who have grown familiar with aircraft and airport environments during training are calmer and more confident when it comes time to fly with their future clients. This reassurance gives clients the confidence to travel knowing their dog can handle the journey by their side.

“YVR is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible travel experience for people with disabilities by removing barriers and making the airport journey more predictable and comfortable,” said Josh Vander Vies, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at YVR. “The PADS program tour is one of the many actions we’re taking to make YVR more accessible.”

“Visits like this give us a chance to practice both basic skills and the specialized commands our dogs need as Mobility, Hearing, or PTSD service dogs,” explained Valerie (Val) Bouey, Client Services at PADS. “Even one experience at YVR builds their confidence, so by the time they’re placed with a client, they’re already comfortable in the airport environment and ready to support wherever life takes them.”

“Air Canada is committed to being a leader in accessible travel. We are proud to partner with YVR for the PADS airport event to help familiarize service animals in training with elements of the air travel experience at check-in and onboard our aircraft,” said Kerianne Wilson, Director, Customer Accessibility at Air Canada.

A partnership with deep roots

YVR’s work with PADS goes back to 2018, when the airport first sponsored puppies and dogs-in-training and welcomed PADS teams to accessibility-related events. In 2019, the collaboration grew to include early airport exposure tours, giving service dogs a chance to practice in real travel settings. Even during the pandemic, YVR supported PADS by providing space for socially distanced puppy classes and contributing to the development of training resources.

In 2025, the partnership reached new levels when PADS joined YVR’s accessibility walkthrough of the terminal. The session, part of our Three-Year Accessibility Plan Roadmap, gave PADS an opportunity to share feedback while seeing firsthand the accessibility features being introduced at YVR. That exchange sparked new ideas and led to the creation of the PADS Tour Program, an initiative for PADS clients to participate alongside PADS staff and their fully trained service dogs.

This ongoing collaboration reflects a shared commitment to improving accessibility and making travel more inclusive.

Do you know anyone with a service animal? If you do, you might understand how important they are to their owner’s wellbeing, especially while travelling. Animals play a huge role in accessibility at the airport, which is why YVR has partnerships with many great organizations like PADS, BC and Alberta Guide Dogs and St John Ambulance.

These partners make it possible for YVR to have programs such as LASI, YVR’s Less Airport Stress Initiative, which brings therapy dogs around the airport for travellers to pet and play with while waiting to board.

YVR also works with organizations like Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) and BC and Alberta Guide Dogs to raise certified assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

When travelling through the airport, make sure to only approach dogs wearing a Therapy Dog scarf, as many service animals around YVR are fulfilling a duty to help someone get through the airport and its best to let them focus on doing their job. It also never hurts to ask the person the animal is accompanying before approaching the animal or signaling that you want its attention.

Everyone knows the feeling of when you suddenly ‘gotta go’, which is why you’ll also notice YVR has animal relief areas throughout the terminal.

From therapy dogs to service animals, YVR owes a big woof (thank you) to the furry flight friends that help our passengers find their way through the terminal.

For more information on accessibility at YVR, visit our Accessibility page.

Last year, YVR sponsored a litter of puppies, Amelia, Orville and Wilbur, that are being raised and trained to be an assistance dog for someone with a physical disability or who is deaf or hard-of-hearing. Today, YVR celebrated Amelia, Orville and Wilbur’s first birthday! Alongside some of Amelia, Orville and Wilbur’s other four-legged friends, YVR feted their progress and achievements so far on the path to becoming assistance dogs. During their first year of training, the puppies were busy and working hard on the following:

• Becoming socialized to a wide variety of environments including grocery stores, movie theatres, airports, transit, etc.
• Learning basic obedience (sit, down, stand, loose leash walking, etc) as well as durations, so learning to hold those cues for longer and longer periods of time.
• Putting their head through their vest and stand quietly while it’s buckled up.
• Learning that their name means “make and hold eye contact” and that “here” means run back to your person as quick as you can!

They have learned so much in such a short time and we are proud of their hard work!

YVR invests over $1 million dollars each year with local charities and organizations as part of our Community Investment program. Under our accessibility pillar, YVR is committed to inclusivity and accessibility. We support programs and organizations that focus on advancements in inclusivity, universal access and access to opportunity. YVR is proud to support Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) and the work that they do. For more information on PADS, head to their website.

Last week, we put out a call for our community to help us name a litter of puppies as part of our partnership with Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS). We asked for the best YVR themed puppy names and put them to a vote on Monday, March 28.

Well, we’ve done it! We received hundreds of votes for our PADS puppies and we are pleased to introduce for the first time: Amelia, Wilbur and Orville! A big thanks to everyone who shared name ideas with us and voted.

YVR is proud to support causes that promote inclusivity, universal design and access to opportunity. Partnering with PADS will help change lives, one dog at a time. PADS breeds, raises and trains certified assistance dogs, partnering them with people living with disabilities. These life-changing companions are specially trained to aid people living with physical or hearing impairments.