Portland Airport Offers Emotional Support Llamas (Photos) [Video]

No, they aren’t looking for their gate — these llamas at Portland International Airport in Oregon are looking for you.

Last holiday season, staff at the hub introduced a group of llamas and alpacas into their existing rotation of emotional support dogs, offering what media relations manager Allison Ferre calls “a uniquely PDX experience” at the city’s iconic airport.

“It’s just pure joy,” she tells PEOPLE of reactions to the specially trained fluffy friends, who reside at a farm outside the city and visit the terminals about twice a month. “Travelers’ faces say it best.”

The animals are “only here for periods of time that are healthy for them,” says Ferre, and haven’t been the subject of any traveler complaints to date.

“We usually promote it on our social channels in advance of when they’re coming,” Ferre explains. “We get disappointment when people miss them.”

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