The Transportation Safety Agency makes use of dogs to track down contraband, bombs and other stuff that we're better off never seeing onboard an airplane. It takes a pooch with a particular temperament to be trained for this sort of work. Not all dogs are well-suited for the job. Unfortunately, while you can make broad guesses, based on breed, on which dogs may be a good fit for identification or tracking work, there's no way to tell if an individual doggo will be any good at it until you put them to the task. In instances where dogs are found to be less than desirable for the sort of work the TSA has in mind for them, they're pushed to the side -- almost like any other animal you'd find at a local shelter. The only difference is that the TSA's castoffs aren't nearly as visible, making finding them a good home a difficult task.
If you're thinking about adopting a pooch from a shelter, maybe take a look at the TSA Canine Training Center Adoption Program. Where the agency usually makes our lives a lot more difficult than they need to be, looking to them to find your family's new best buddy could make the process of discovering the perfect pooch dead easy.
In order for potential dog owners to qualify for a pooch from the TSA Canine Training Center Adoption Program, they'll have to be able to fulfill a few reasonable criteria:
From the TSA:
-- You must have a fenced in yard at the time of applying.
-- There should be no intentions of moving within six months of adopting a dog.
-- Homes must abide by all local pet ordinances.
-- You must agree to provide the dog with appropriate medical care, exercise, training and companionship.
-- All existing pets in the home must have current vaccinations and preventive care.
-- The age of children in the home will be taken into consideration when selecting a dog.
Oh, and there's one catch: all of the dogs in the program are housed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. As the TSA wants to be sure that their dogs are going to the perfect forever-home, they're not down with same-day adoptions. So, you'll have to make a few trips to the base before you become the proud owner of a new furry friend.
For more information on how to get started, head on over to the program's webpage
Image via Defense.gov
