Amy Mccullough

Steve Cearley and his dog Shanti made their way down the airport concourse in matching blue plaid vests, prompting travelers to glance up from their computers and cellphones. After two airport employees stopped to fuss over Shanti, an 88-pound Great Pyrenees with long, white fur, Cearley, a full-service dog handler, passed around a lint brush.

Dogs can give us company in our solitary hours and now new research has shown that therapy dogs can improve anxiety levels of pediatric cancer patients and their parents.

Steve Cearley and his dog Shanti made their way down the airport concourse in matching blue plaid vests, prompting travelers to glance up from their computers and cellphones. After two airport employees stopped to fuss over Shanti, an 88-pound Great Pyrenees with long, white fur, Cearley, a full-service dog handler, passed around a lint brush.

Dogs can give us company in our solitary hours and now new research has shown that therapy dogs can improve anxiety levels of pediatric cancer patients and their parents.