Let’s debrief about the new animal terminal(!) at JFK
Good news for all the jet-setting pets out there! (And apparently there are A LOT of you apparently, 70,000 high-flying animals a year in New York alone.) Animal travelers in the Big Apple will soon have their very own luxury terminal. Emphasis on luxe.
Construction has begun at John F. Kennedy International Airport on a new terminal, which will be called (appropriately) The ARK at JFK. The $48 million project should be completed sometime next year and will cater to traveling dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats, pigs, sheep, birds . . . every animal from aardvarks to sloths. Which begs the question, are sloths frequent fliers? We had NO idea. And yup, it’s being called world’s first air terminal for animals.
Large animals, like horses, will be able to kick back in spacious climate-controlled stalls. (Because who doesn’t love central heat and air, right?) Cats will get to hang out in a jungle and climb trees. It’s like the Lion King, only with boarding passes. And dogs will be treated to an exclusive doggy spa with a bone-shaped swimming pool and hotel suites with flat-screen televisions. So no worries, Fido won’t have to miss Game of Thrones on his layover. Pet owners can even check up on their four-legged friends via webcam. Right about now you’re probably wondering if this means you will be able to watch your dog watching television. The answer is yes.
Rumor has it The ARK will even include “a special space for penguins” to allow them “mating privacy.” Seriously, penguins. Get a room. (No really, they can get an actual room. Literally.)
This all sounds amazing, and it’s been a long time coming. Animals going in and out of JFK airport have been using the same small, on site facility since the 1950s. Just imagine hanging out in an airport terminal that hasn’t been updated since the Mad Men era. Um, no thank you. I freak out if there isn’t a Starbucks near my gate. And hey, if I can get a massage and a pedicure while I wait for my flight, why shouldn’t my dog? Good for you, animals.
Pampering is fun, obvs, but even more importantly, The ARK will provide a safe place for animals in transit. A LifeCare veterinary hospital will be right there, onsite, to handle emergencies and even surgeries. According to The ARK founder John J. Cuticelli Jr., “The animal terminal will set new international airport standards for comprehensive veterinary, kenneling and quarantine services.”
It all sounds like a win-win for our furry friends. All that’s left, for the animals, is to sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.
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[Image via here]
