NYC's JFK Airport Is Building a New Luxury Terminal Exclusively for Animals It's called 'the ARK.'

By Laura Entis

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Paradise 4 Paws | Facebook

Every year, more than 70,000 animals pass through New York City's JFK airport.

To accommodate all the dogs, cats, horses, penguins, infrequent sloths and many other additional species, the airport is building a new facility on the site of a now demolished former cargo terminal dedicated exclusively for handling traveling animals, the Associated Press reports.

The $48 million, 178,000-square-foot terminal – called, appropriately, the ARK -- will serve as both a housing and quarantine facility, according to the AP. It's common for animals arriving in JFK to be held at the airport for a short period, sometimes up to a few days, to ensure they are not infected with contagious diseases.

Related: Get This: Facial Recognition -- For Cats

Here's a list of the features the ARK, billed as the first ever terminal built exclusively for animals, will include, according to the AP:

  • Climate-controlled stalls for horses and cows equipped with showers
  • A 20,000-square-foot dog "resort" (run by Paradise 4 Paws), complete with more than $100-a-night suites featuring flat-screen televisions, splashing pools and spa services, including message therapy and "pawdicures"
  • A space dedicated to giving penguins "mating privacy"
  • Holding pens for goats, pigs and sheep
  • Trees reserved for cats to climb
  • A 24-hour animal clinic

Sounds pretty cool, right? Next time you're stranded in a hectic, overcrowded terminal, think of the traveling dog that's relaxing in front of a flat-screen TV while enjoying a pawdicure.

Or don't.

Related: Old Dog, New Pics: This New Nikon Camera Case Let's Your Pup Snap Photos

Laura Entis is a reporter for Fortune.com's Venture section.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

She Quit Her Job at Trader Joe's After Starting a Side Hustle With $800 — Then She and Her Brother Grew the Business to $20 Million

Jaime Holm and Matt Hannula teamed up to build a business in an industry that "didn't exist" yet.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Nissan Is Doubling Its Initial Layoff Announcement, Cutting 20,000 Jobs: 'A Wake-Up Call'

The automaker is dealing with slowing sales and a recent failed merger with Honda.

Growing a Business

This Local Bakery Has Lines Out the Door. Here Are the Secrets to Its Success.

Known for its viral flat croissants and innovative desserts, Alexander's Patisserie also excels in hands-on leadership and team culture.

Business News

'The Worst Time of My Life': $100 Million Deli Fraudster Sentenced to Prison

North Carolina businessman Peter Coker Sr. faces prison time and massive fines for his part in a scheme to defraud investors.