A once-stray cat rescued from an animal shelter and adopted by a loving family is now helping people at a California airport.
Duke Ellington Morris, a 14-year-old black and white cat, became the first cat to join San Francisco International Airport’s (SFO) therapy animal team, known as the “Wag Brigade,” in late May.
In 2010, Duke was rescued from the streets of San Francisco where he was found starving alongside other feral cats and taken to San Francisco Animal Care and Control. There, a 5-year-old girl spotted the tuxedo cat and her family quickly took him home.
“I can hear my daughter screaming with joy, ‘I love the black and white kitten.’ And I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?'” Duke’s owner Jen Morris told SF Gate. “We met Duke and he focused on my daughter. And I figured if a cat wants a 5-year-old to be their next protector, he can’t be that bad.”
Duke Ellington Morris joined the California Airport Wag Brigade as the first cat to join the San Francisco International Airport Therapy Animal Team.
Instagram
Duke’s people were quickly impressed by his calm and warm demeanor, and had him certified as a therapy animal through the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ animal-assisted therapy program.
The special cat — named after the jazz great — has worked as an animal therapist for a decade, visiting patients in hospitals across the city to comfort them through difficult times.
Now he’s helping airport visitors relieve travel-related stress by joining the ragtag crew of SFO therapy animals, which includes several dogs, as well as a rabbit named Alex the Great and a pig named LiLou – all certified and tested therapy animals.
The non-human therapists walk through the airport terminals in “Pet Me” vests to comfort anxious travelers. The program launched in 2013 and returned in 2021 after a 20-month hiatus due to the COVID pandemic.
