The rental economy widens as LAX launches doggy loan program

Beginning today, LAX will unveil its "Pets Unstressing Passengers" program, or PUP, to use the acronym preferred by airport officials. The goal: To keep waiting passengers calm. So far, about 30 handlers have signed up. They're all volunteers, and for two-hour shifts they'll walk from gate to gate, introducing passengers to their dogs. For now, there might only be two or three dogs at the airport at any one time. But eventually, airport officials would like to have one in each terminal at all times. And petting is encouraged.