There’s no hug like the one you’ll get from Alex the Great, a 28-pound Flemish Giant rabbit

A trip to the airport can turn even the most seasoned traveler into a ball of stress. But what if there was a way to feel just a little bit better, a little bit more relaxed, a little bit…fluffier?

Therapy animals of all stripes have appeared at airports in the last few years, from llamas in Portland to dogs in Denver. The San Francisco Airport has its own fleet of furry friends, too. Enter Alex the Great, a 28-pound Flemish Giant rabbit who’s part of the San Francisco Airport’s Wag Brigade. This program began at the airport in 2013 “to bring trained dogs to the terminals to make passenger travel more enjoyable.” Alex became the first bunny to join. All of the animals involved–not just Alex, but Lilou the pig and a host of their dog colleagues–are certified therapy animals through the San Francisco SPCA Animal Assisted Therapy program.

Alex in particular has made a splash, not just because he’s a giant rabbit at an airport, but because his arrival methods are fairly unusual. Alex traverses SFO in a giant stroller, a significantly faster means of transportation than his traditional bunny hops. And, on several occasions, as United Airlines pointed out, he “terminal hops” in a rabbit-sized version of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Alex can be spotted at the airport several times a week in his signature baseball hat, staying relaxed for passengers awaiting flights, welcoming gentle pets from travelers young and old.

Alex’s mom and dad, Kei Kato and Josh Row, rescued him from a slaughterhouse and he became a therapy animal first to Kato, who sought to manage her mental health in the pandemic. In a few short years, Alex has become such a Bay Area celebrity, that he’s even comforted celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Chappell Roan. With Chappell, he wore a tiny pink cowboy hat on top of his own baseball hat to show he's a member of the “Pink Pony Club” in his own way.

In his spare time, Alex is a huge San Francisco Giants fan–indeed he is their very own “Rally Rabbit”--and will attend games with his family. Recently, Alex cheered on the home team, drawing the attention of the Giants specifically as well as Major League Baseball in general, who both shared videos of him on their social media accounts. “We would literally do anything for him,” the Giants’ TikTok wrote. “We’re big fans of Alex the Great here,” MLB’s own wrote. It’s possible, too, that Alex was the first bunny ever at Oracle Park where the Giants play when he first attended a game four years ago.

The combination of Alex’s calm demeanor and his parents’ love of culture and sports mean he’s also visited the Phoenix Raceway, the Outside Lands music festival, the San Francisco Pride Parade, and many others in the last few years. Ultimately, as his owners told ESPN, because he brings them joy they know he’ll bring it to others, too. If you happen to be at a San Francisco Giants game or hopping terminals at SFO, you may be lucky enough to find out just how much joy yourself.