Nashville International Airport (BNA) has a new place for dogs to hang out as the airport unveiled its new dog park areas along with the first-ever certification as a pet-friendly airport.
On Monday, representatives from BNA and the Mars Petcare company held a press conference announcing the first-ever pet-friendly certification of an airport. The certification, known officially as the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS Certified Airport designation, is the first of its kind and is part of Mars Petcare’s commitment to creating better worlds for pets.
Mars Petcare, maker of pet food brands like PEDIGREE and WHISKAS, has long maintained a commitment to improving the quality of pet experiences in the world. Their BETTER CITIES FOR PETS initiative notes, “Mars Petcare is working to make more communities warm and welcoming through their BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program so that more people and pets can live a better life together.”
The Nashville Airport has been in the midst of a major renovation that brings new facilities ranging from terminals to hotels, better infrastructure, and now new dog park areas.
In a press release coinciding with the announcement of the BNA certification, Mars Petcare highlighted their commitment to making more pet-friendly travel experiences:
“Our new Airport Certification is a natural extension of our BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program into the travel space, an area where pet parents are looking for more welcoming and accommodating experiences for their pets. It’s clear that pet parents want to travel with their cats and dogs and working with leaders like BNA help us ensure we’re meeting their needs and delivering on our purpose: A Better World for Pets.â€
Ikdeep Singh, Regional President, Mars Petcare North America; Mars Petcare Press Release
Some of the changes pets and their owners can experience at the Nashville Airport include:
- Dedicated Dog Park located on the fifth floor of the Terminal 1 Garage
- Two curbside relief areas at the South and North Terminals
- Multiple hyrdation and waste stations
- An indoor relief areas in Concourse D
- Improved signage to help owners find the various pet amenities throughout the airport
The press release notes that BNA, as the first airport to obtain this new certification, “…has prioritized the safety and ease of traveling with pets and service animals, installing a variety of pet-friendly amenities before and after the security checkpoint.”
Tanja Vidovich, Chief Financial Officer for Mars Petcare, in remarks at the unveiling ceremony about BNA, said they are, “Looking forward to seeing other airports follow their lead.”
Watch the full ceremony on YouTube here:
