ANIMALS
Duke Ellington Morris The Cat Reports To Duty As First Feline To Join SFO Therapy Animal Team, The Wag Brigade
A 14-year-old rescue cat has become the first feline to qualify for the San Francisco International Airports Wag Brigade of therapy animals.
The cat, named Duke Ellington Morris, was found starving in a feral cat colony in 2010 and brought to San Francisco Animal Care and Control, the airport said. Duke was soon adopted by a 5-year-old girl and her family.
Dukes demeanor with the girl prompted the Morris family to have him certified as a therapy animal through the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
“Duke immediately took to his new family and it quickly became clear to his new guardians that this was a special cat,” the SFO Wag Brigade wrote alongside a photo on Facebook. “Since then, Duke has been certified as an animal therapist, helping humans of all ages deal with stress, illness, hardship, and putting smiles on their faces when they need it most.”
As part of the Wag Brigade, Duke will get to “make passenger travel more enjoyable” by wearing a vest that reads “Pet Me” in the airports terminals.
