There's Something Very Special About This Airport Bathroom

<p> Chicago Department of Aviation<span></span> </p>
<p> Chicago Department of Aviation<span></span> </p>

In a big step for pups everywhere, traveling dogs can finally get the bathroom break they deserve at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, thanks to a very special new doggie restroom.

The airport announced a brand-new doggie bathroom Tuesday, saying that "the room is specially designed to accommodate passengers traveling with service animals or pets."


Chicago Department of Aviation

Chicago Department of Aviation

The dog-friendly restroom features mats of artificial grass instead of toilets, complete with tiny "fire hydrants" to make dogs feel at home, and pop-up sprinklers to wash away the waste.

Having the doggie bathrooms located inside the terminal means that owners won't have to dash out through security and then come all the way back through again - saving a lot of time and trouble.

Chicago Department Of Aviation

Chicago Department Of Aviation

These special bathrooms are going to make things a lot easier for dogs who travel along with their owners, especially service dogs, whose work often requires them to put their humans' needs above their own. This new bathroom in O'Hare isn't the first in the country, but it's another crucial step in respecting the lifesaving jobs that service dogs perform.

There are an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 service dogs in the U.S., which means that on any given day, they're flying all around the country with their humans. Not to mention the regular pet pooches who travel along with their humans - about 2 million pets fly with their people in the U.S. each year.