ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

A toilet facility strictly for the use of dogs has opened at Japan's Osaka International Airport.

Situated in a fenced-in zone outside one of the airport's pick-up and drop-off areas, the facility incorporates space for owners to relax with their pets plus a shower area and a self-cleaning "pee-pole".

The aim of the facility is to allow dogs travelling on flights either as pets or service animals to relieve themselves prior to take-off.

The Osaka dog toilet is said to be the first facility of its kind in Japan. However, airport pet rest areas are common in the US - in fact they are the subject of a federal law.

Since August 2016 it has been compulsory for US airports with annual passenger numbers in excess of 10,000 to provide animal-friendly relief areas that are also accessible for wheelchair users.

Airports have been competing with one another to come up with the most pet-friendly facilities ever since. For example, the pet relief area at New York's JFK International Airport has fake grass, a red fire hydrant and waterproof flooring in case of accidents.

And the McNamara Terminal at Detroit International Airport has an impressive $75,000 animal relief area featuring real grass, a sprinkler system, poo bags and a sink for owners to wash their hands and re-fill water bottles.