Not everyone is cut out to work for the TSA, and that includes K9s. But what happens to those dogs after they find out they’ve been passed on?
The TSA’s Canine Adoption Program collects the German Shorthaired Pointers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Belgian Malinois that failed their drug-sniffing tests, and places them with loving families.
The dogs are spayed, neutered and vaccinated before being handed over to the new owners at no charge, though there are some conditions. Promising pet owners must apply and meet a list of qualifications before they can take home their new furry friend.
TSA DOGS ARE OFTEN ADEPTS AT SNIFFING OUT DRUGS AND EXPLOSIVES, BUT NOT EVERYONE MAKES THE CUT.
According to the TSA website:
- 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
And one more box to check, you have to travel to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas, to pick the dogs up.
The dogs range in age from 2 to 10 years old, and are crate trained, but not house trained. In most cases, the TSA maintains, they are active dogs, with energy to spare.
THE DOGS THAT AREN’T KEPT ON AS K9S ARE ADOPTED OUT.
The adoptions open up on October 2018, but the TSA already has a long list of people hoping to take home one of the nicest dogs to ever apply for a job with the agency. They didn’t have what it takes to become successful drug-sniffing dogs, but they can certainly make great pets.
