PET PRIVACY JFK opens pet washroom

Posted on 04/27/2016 | About New York City, New York

New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport is catering to pets with a pet potty room - complete with fake grass and a red fire hydrant — in Terminal 4. The single-stall bathroom, is decorated with paw prints and lined with Epoxy and waterproof turf – perfect for both cats and dogs.

The room is designed to be hosed down regularly, poop bags are available to help owners clean up after their pets. 

Airport officials said they opened the room so that traveling pets don’t have to keep their legs crossed for any longer than necessary. 

Before the pet room opened, pet owners had to take their four legged friends outside to relieve themselves and then go back through security – or they would have to clean up the mess on the floor. 

“When the urge comes, [animals] are going to go, so we wanted to have somewhere for them to go,” said Susana Cunha, vice president of operations at JFK. 

A Manhattan nonprofit that trains guide dogs for the blind and other disabled people helped design the special bathroom. 

“If you have a five-hour flight, you are at the airport a couple hours early,” said Patrick Glines, manager of the Guide Dog Foundation. “That’s a good seven hours that an animal doesn’t have access to relieve itself, not to mention if there’s a connecting flight.”