Riley, Buster and Flo now greet Waterloo commuters

London's Waterloo station has become the first major train hub in Britain to put comfort dogs on regular patrol, a three-month trial that started this month. The recruits are Riley, Buster and Flo, two cocker spaniels and a Labrador aged 9, 10 and 11. South Western Railway and NR Wessex deployed them alongside Alpha Canine Specialists to offer passengers what the operator called "additional reassurance." The dogs act as a visual deterrent and are part of a wider safety program that includes new CCTV and an outreach worker for vulnerable young people. "Deploying these dogs is not linked to any increased threat," the railway said. "It's simply part of providing more visual deterrence." "Security needs constant innovation and we're taking positive steps," said Dan Harrison, station manager for SWR and NR Wessex. For Riley, Buster and Flo, the daily commute through Waterloo will be their last posting. All three retire when the trial ends.