Nellie the Elephant, final call for boarding

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

FRANKFURT (AFP) — Complete with a chill-out area for exhausted elephant keepers and a resuscitation room for distressed tropical fish, Frankfurt Airport's new Animal Lounge opened its doors on Friday.

The new 3,750-square-metre (40,000-square-feet) hangar has 42 stalls for large animals like the huge number of polo ponies and racehorses that pass through continental Europe's biggest hub every year, or even for the odd rhino or elephant.

There are also 39 smaller boxes, special aviaries and 12 individual, temperature-adjustable climatic chambers providing space for a variety of species, said the firm behind the facility, Lufthansa Cargo.

Every year 14,000 dogs and cats pass through Frankfurt Airport, as well as 1,500 polo ponies and racehorses and 3,000...