Vicki Broman calls herself a pure-bred New Jersey girl, but after living in Arizona for over 35 years, she is an honorary Arizonan, too. Vicki and her three-year-old pure-bred Irish Wolfhound, Tipper, belong to the Desert Irish Wolfhound Association, and they’re one of our newest Navigator Buddy teams. They’re no strangers to Phoenix Sky Harbor, though. When Vicki was training Tipper to become a certified therapy animal, they did a lot of that training here at PHX. When a friend told them about our Navigator Buddy program, they jumped on the opportunity to join!

Along with their work with us at the airport, Vicki and Tipper also volunteer at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the Via Linda Behavioral Health Hospital. Considered “small” by Wolfhound standards, Tipper is one of the biggest Buddies on the team. When this gentle giant isn’t at home playing with his favorite stuffed bear or snacking on those delicious peanut butter treats, he loves greeting travelers and receiving the love right back in the form of belly scratches, hugs, and caresses.

His favorite interactions are by far with children. Vicki recounts the time they ran into a mother and her 18-month-old boy who absolutely loved Tipper! He giggled and petted Tipper over and over again, and when they thought the meet up was over, Vicki noticed the boy following them around the terminal. They had to stop so he and his mom could catch up to them for another round of hugs and giggles.

When given a chance, Vicki always likes to emphasize just how important our Navigator Buddy program is to the airport and travelers alike. “The people that work at the terminals really enjoy seeing the dogs – especially the TSA staff. The smiles that Tipper brings to travelers and staff alike are priceless.” We think this mighty duo is also priceless, and they deserve all the thanks and gratitude for the many hours of volunteer work and for the joy they bring. Welcome to the team, Vicki and Tipper!

The Navigator Buddies volunteer a minimum of 2.25 hours per week. If you are interested in becoming a Navigator Buddy team, you must be registered and in good standing with a qualified pet therapy organization and have six months or more of dog therapy experience. Handlers must be at least 18 years or older and dogs must be one year or older. You must also be a year-round resident of Arizona. To learn more about our PHX Navigator and Navigator Buddy program, visit skyharbor.com/volunteer.