Hilarious Traveler Almost Misses Flight Out of Portland Because of Llamas at the Airport
Most of the time, nearly missing a flight is a reason to panic. It can be expensive and time-consuming to make up for that missed flight, which is why you may see someone running through the airport in desperation. Sometimes, you just can't help but get behind schedule, but every now and then, it's a risk a traveler is willing to take.
Just ask Chanel! This dog mom was flying out of Portland, Oregon, on July 8 when two very fluffy visitors caught her eye. They're the PDX therapy llamas! Beni and Prince are just two of the dozen llamas and alpacas who make people small all over the Portland area, and they're no strangers to the airport (or excited travelers). Chanel had a blast meeting the llamas, and now thousands of TikTok viewers are smiling at their silly encounter, too.
LOL! Chanel's impressions of Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove had me giggling before I even saw the llamas, but I wasn't the only one who got a kick out of the perfectly timed movie references. Commenter @omegalurker69 wrote, "Not you chasing after them screaming the most perfect Eartha Kitt impression." It sounds too good to be true--yet it's real!
Related: Video of 'Therapy Llama' Visiting Residents at a Nursing Home Totally Made Our Week
By the sounds of the laughs coming from Chanel's side of the screen, the llamas, named Beni and Prince, and their handlers seem to be having a great time, too. It seems impossible not to have fun when hanging out with these big, huggable animals! Almost everyone reacts with joy and excitement when they spot the PDX Llamas, which is precisely why they continue airport visits.
How Therapy Animals Help Travelers
In February, 'llama wrangler' Shannon Joy spoke to Willamette Week about the best part of meeting travelers with dressed-up farm animals: "Everyone has that resting face of ‘let me try to get through to my destination,’ and then, all of a sudden, they come across a big fluffy llama that they’re encouraged to hug. There’s this wave of relief. You can see the whole body change."
Even though Portland has these amazing therapy llamas, they aren't the only animals that bring passengers joy and distraction in the midst of chaos. Many airports have therapy dogs who occasionally roam the terminals, but one airport in California took it a step further.
My local airport, San Jose Mineta International Airport, was the first airport to offer therapy animal comfort in airports in the early 2000s. They now have a full roster of adorable therapy dogs you may see while waiting for your flight, but they even have a cat and a bunny who greet travelers, too. I had the pleasure of meeting Alex the Great, a Flemish Giant Hare who even rode in his own mini car!
Therapy animals are amazing in more ways than one, and now Chanel can say she knows that firsthand. It doesn't get much cuter than the PDX Llamas and Alpacas!
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