There is a new dog in town – at the Algonquin Resort anyway.
Her name is Leia and she’s the newest addition to the staff – known as a lobby dog – who came from the Institute for the Blind. The tradition dates back decades.
Leia’s job is to get belly rubs and to greet guests at the Algonquin Resort. (Nathalie Sturgeon/CHCO-TV)
“Sydney, who was our previous dog that sadly passed away a little while ago, was here for eight years,” said Algonquin Manager Steven Dodwell. “Previous to that we had a Smudge, a Piper, a Bentley .. but it’s many, back (in) the last century.”
Sydney was previous lobby dog, but died in September. (Algonquin Resort)
Sydney, a black lab mix, died in September and her loss was palpable to the staff – especially the resort’s account manager.
The dogs who come to the Algonquin live with a member of the staff during their lives – becoming intertwined in the fabric of the hotel family.
“So, obviously Sydney and she had lived together, she’d been a staple in the hotel for 8 years, and she was just old – it happens to the best of us and it was terribly sad,” Dodwell said.
A lobby dog greets guests, who ultimately pay in back scratches and belly rubs, but Leia provides a new sense of calm – but also companionship.
The Algonquin Resort is pet friendly and welcomes a lot of families and children, having a dog in the lobby may provide them with a bit of the comforts of home.
“It’s just all about friendship and warmth and people checking into hotels, they’re strangers, (they) don’t know anybody,” he said. “Maybe humans are not always as nice as they should be but a dog you can never go wrong with.”
