PHL’s Latest Addition: Permanent Dog Restrooms

Complete with Veterans Stadium–like turf and a faux fire hydrant, the first of these new pet bathrooms has opened in Terminal D.


Photo courtesy of Philadelphia International Airport.

Air travel with your furry companion just got a whole lot easier thanks to the installation of a permanent pet restroom at Terminal D in Philadelphia International Airport this week.

The new “Animal Relief Area” is the first of several that the airport plans to unveil over the next couple of years. One is slated to open in Terminal E in late 2019, with others for terminals A-West, B, and C expected by 2020.

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Given the recent increase in registering service dogs, who are permitted to fly with their owners, the U.S. Department of Transportation first mandated that airports include these facilities in 2016. Temporary dog bathrooms established at PHL following that directive are now in the process of being converting to permanent spaces.

At approximately 90 square feet, the new dog restroom boasts a faux fire hydrant, Veterans Stadium–like green turf, and a built-in basin with plumbing that makes for easy wash-downs. For owners, the room includes doggie waste bags, a trash receptacle, a hand-washing station, and even an exterior waiting bench with phone-charging ports.

“The permanent relief areas are intended to be helpful and provide a less stressful airport experience for travelers who may have their service animal or pet with them,” PHL’s chief operating officer Keith Brune said in a release.

An estimated 76 million dogs and cats travel with their owner by plane each year, according to the American Animal Hospital Association.