JFK airport is opening a new center to serve animals passing through its doors and it sounds nicer than the airport’s human facilities. And it sounds much sounds nicer than anything offered at JFK’s slovenly cross-town sister, LaGuardia.
The New York Times reports on “the Ark,” where “Services will include things like ‘pawdicures’ for dogs, fancy stalls for racehorses and quarantined lodgings for sick birds.” It cost $65 million to build, it’s got an aviary, and also it sounds like a set from Dynasty:
For jet-setting horses, a 5,000-square-foot, 23-stall export center opened in January. Its luxurious stalls have nonslip flooring and high-end hay for animals to eat and bed down on.
A 20,000-square-foot equine import and quarantine center, with 48 stalls, will open by June. It will serve racing, polo, sport and show horses being imported into the United States. Special vehicles will transport the horses directly from jet stalls to the center, and Olympic grooms will be able to exercise the horses there.
Sprawling to nearly 80,000 square feet, there are, of course, levels to the amenities available, depending on how much you are willing to spend so Fido can feel like a baller. For instance:
Paradise 4 Paws, an animal resort that already has outposts at airports in Chicago, Dallas and Denver, will open its flagship location at the Ark in early summer, with 20,000 square feet there for its posh accommodations. It will serve dogs and cats of traveling pet parents, as well as animals owned by airport employees and people living nearby.
The resort will have 150 suites, 130 for dogs and the remainder for cats. The largest, the 9-foot-by-12-foot “Top Dog Suite,” will contain a full-size bed and a 32-inch flat-screen TV. Owners will be able to keep tabs on their pets via a 24-hour webcam.
Paradise 4 Paws will offer massages and nail treatments, along with a bone-shaped splashing pool for dogs. Rates will range from $35 to $125 a night, depending on the size of the accommodations and type of pet.
How do I sign up—for myself?