Retiring TSA dog treated to tennis balls on last day
After screening thousands of travelers and their belongings at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Bruno is ready to hang up his dog vest.
Bruno, a 4-year-old Laborador Retriever, retired Wednesday from his work as an explosive detection canine for the Transportation Security Administration. Staff surprised him at the end of his last work shift with a special, squeaky tennis ball drop and bone-shaped retirement cake at the airport’s Japanese Garden.
Since October 2019, Bruno and canine handler, Kathy, have been screening departing travelers and their belongings for potential transportation security threats, as well as training hundreds of hours together to maintain his certification and keep his skills sharp.
“TSA canines like Bruno are premiere security ambassadors and a favorite of travelers who depart HNL,” said TSA Federal Security Director Jenel Chang in a news release. “We are most proud of the work that Bruno and Kathy have done together to secure the transportation network. We wish them Aloha as they move onto the next phase of their lives together.”
Bruno’s official title was Passenger Screening Canine, and he used his keen sense of smell to detect the scent of explosives and explosive materials at the airport. To do his job, Bruno had to work closely with his handler as a team, and to focus on his task among large groups of people in a busy transportation environment.
He worked his entire career at the Honolulu airport, but also helped support security operations at Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles.
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Bruno was one of among more than 450 Passenger Screening Canines who work at airports across the U.S. Although they may be social, TSA reminds the public that these working dogs should not be petted or fed by anyone except their handlers.
Following retirement, Bruno will transition from working canine to pampered pet, according to TSA. He will continue to live with his handler, along with 15-year-old Llake, another retired TSA working dog.