Celebrating National Therapy Animal Day: Meet Crypto, the Therapy Dog at Evansville Regional Airport
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Evansville Regional Airport has been utilizing the services of a special crew member since August to help assist passengers in a unique way. Meet Crypto, a certified therapy dog, and his handler Amy Covington, who have been making a positive impact on travelers passing through the airport.
In celebration of National Therapy Animal Day, the airport recognized Crypto and Amy for their dedicated service. Crypto has been a certified therapy dog for over five years, and since last August, he has been spreading joy and comfort to passengers at the Evansville Regional Airport.
Studies have shown that pet therapy can significantly help decrease blood pressure and heart rate, making Crypto’s presence even more valuable to travelers. “There’s always the science behind it. The release of oxytocin for the animal and the humans,” says Cydnie Kieffer, Pet Partners of the Tri-State Regional contact.
The Evansville Regional Airport partnered with Pet Partners in 2023, the nation’s leading organization for registering volunteer handlers and their companions as therapy animal teams. Amy Covington, Crypto’s handler, shared that passengers often express how much they look forward to seeing Crypto when flying in and out of Evansville.
Passengers have mentioned that Crypto’s presence helps ease the anxiety of leaving their own pets behind while traveling. The duo volunteers periodically throughout the week and on Sundays, bringing smiles to the faces of many travelers.
Each therapy animal is certified and evaluated on their ability to safely interact with a wide range of populations effectively. The airport hopes that by showcasing the impact of Crypto and Amy’s services, more awareness will be raised around therapy animals, encouraging other organizations to implement similar programs.
In addition to Crypto, the airport will be introducing a new crew member named Kyra in the coming weeks. To learn more about EVV Crew Dogs and download Crypto’s trading cards, visit flyevv.com/forevveryone. To learn more about Pet Partners of the Tri-State, visit their website for more information.
