Allegiant’s business model is built around the idea that travel should be accessible to everyone. This philosophy is at the heart of our partnership with Susquehanna Service Dogs (SSD), a Pennsylvania-based organization that breeds, raises, trains and places dogs to assist children and adults with disabilities in their day-to-day lives.
The foundation of our relationship with SSD is built upon two pillars: puppy transfers and airport training.
In order to best guarantee a successful partnership between pooch and person, it is of utmost importance service animals in training (aka adorable puppies) receive the highest quality training possible – sometimes involving travel to a different state. This is where Allegiant steps in. The airline donates flights for the animal and an SSD representative. Often, the representative will be dropping off a puppy and flying home with a graduate of the training program. Funds that might have spent on airfare can be re-directed to another area of need within the nonprofit.
The flights serve a dual purpose: travel for the puppy and training.
Just as an airport can present unique challengers for travelers, it is a new and hard-to-replicate environment for the service animals. This is why we work diligently with our operations team to identify an opportunity for SSD handlers to bring the dogs to the airport for a trial run. The service animals practice going through TSA, boarding the aircraft, and nestling under the airplane seat in front of them while keeping a close eye on their human companion.
After graduation, the dogs, equipped with over 40 cues and skills, are ready to be matched with their person.
Our partnership with SSD makes a lasting impact in the lives of so many people who are now confident to travel by air.
To learn more about Susquehanna Service Dogs, please visit: https://www.khs.org/what-we-do/assistance-dogs/