Down in The Valley passersby may often see a light cream golden retriever walking on leash. If you haven’t met him, his name is Liam, and he loves exploring this beautiful community with his “dog parents,” Cliff and Jean Hiatt.

Liam was raised and trained by the Hiatts since he was a pup. He is now 7 years old and has several AKC recognitions, but his most favored one is the certification he received in 2019, from The Alliance of Therapy Dogs. It allows Jean and Liam to be a Pet Therapy Team.

Following the pandemic when various facilities began to open again, Liam began his therapy dog career. He saw patients in hospitals, met with students on college campuses, participated in school programs with children, but his favorite location (and Jean can verify this) was and still is Asheville Regional Airport.

Jean and Liam, along with 35 other volunteer dog therapy teams, are part of the airport’s Paws for Passengers program. Since 2022, they have made bi-monthly visits to the airport hoping to bring a smile or two to passengers flying in and out. Jean says it’s a very rewarding experience and each visit is different because they meet people from all over the world. Some passengers are simply tired, stressed, or anxious, but many are missing their own dogs and interacting with Liam offers a distraction. Liam wears a vest that says, “Pet Me,” and they do!

One afternoon was especially memorable. There was a lone passenger who had disembarked, not sure if her connecting ride from the airport was going to pick her up, and she was in tears. Liam reminded her of her dog back home and offered that unconditional love that all dogs do. Shortly thereafter, the ride finally showed up. There could have been more to the story, but the lady left, and Liam knew he had done his job.

There are just under 60 airports around the country which offer animal assisted therapy, and AVL is one of them! Their thinking is “who could resist a warm, wet nose and a wagging tail?” Don’t you agree?