TSA No Longer to Breed Canines - Training Program to Continue

There seems to be a lot of misinformation regarding the closing of our canine breeding program located at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. So, I feel a need to provide clarification.

A recent efficiency review showed the program was appropriated $1.8 million dollars for FY’12 (not $400K as reported elsewhere). It was determined that the program is important, but further investments would need to be made to take the breeding program to the next level. For example, it would take $4 million dollars alone just to build the facilities necessary. The program currently employs two full time Federal employees and has contracts with a local company for the up-keep of the kennels and for medical and health needs.

TSA decided to phase out the breeding program in an effort to best manage taxpayer dollars. IMPORTANT, however, is that TSA will continue to train the dogs for explosive detection responsibilities. Only the breeding program will be discontinued.

What you may not know is that TSA currently uses existing contracts like the one operated by the Department of Defense to purchase up to 80 percent of the canines used for the safety and security of the transportation domains we protect. That means that only 20 percent of the canines come from the breeding program in Lackland. Another 20 percent of the canines that are bred are purchased by other agencies and used in a variety of law enforcement or security functions.

While the breeding program is scheduled to cease all operations in by mid-year 2013, TSA recognizes that canines are a vital part of our layers of security. So, TSA will be expanding its canine training operations at Lackland Air Force Base.

A special thanks to all of the volunteers for their hard work and dedication with the breeding program. While these changes are prudent decisions, they will never result in compromising security.

Bob Burns

TSA Blog Team

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TSA Welcomes Its 500th Puppy!

Dolan, TSA's 500th Pupp

Meet Dolan, TSA's 500th puppy to be born into the TSA Puppy Program.  Each of the puppies are named after a 9/11 victim to honor their memory, and this puppy was named after Capt. Robert Edward Dolan Jr., who lost his life in the attack on the Pentagon.

Dolan was born at Lackland Air Force Base and if he meets our high standards will be trained by the TSA's National Explosives Detection Canine Team to become an explosives detection dog.  Puppies that don’t meet our standards are offered to other agencies or adopted by loving families. 

"My children and I are very excited to have a puppy named in Bob’s memory,” said Lisa Dolan, wife of the late Captain Dolan.  “Bob began his military career as an explosives ordnance expert.  When he was killed at the Pentagon, he was working on Homeland Defense, and so it's very fitting to have one of the TSA puppies named for our hero, Captain Bob Dolan.  Knowing “Puppy Dolan” will one day be an explosives detection canine in the service of our country is reassuring.  Dolan’s future career keeping travelers safe is a fitting addition to Bob’s legacy of freedom.”

The program has been in place for nine years and out of the 500 puppies, around half of them are currently working in the field, or have been selected as breeders.

Once the puppies are born into the program, they have to be fostered by volunteer families for up to a year prior to their training. If you live in the San Antonio or Austin area and are interested in fostering a puppy such as Dolan, TSA will provide all the food, equipment and veterinary care in exchange for providing a stimulating environment where the puppy can grow and develop.  Sound appealing? Want to take out a new “leash” on life? Go here and fill out the application (PDF).

Many potential foster families are "hounding" us to become part of the program, so “schnauzer” chance…  Be sure to apply now so you can be placed on a waiting list. 

Blogger Bob

TSA Blog Team

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The TSA Puppy Program

TSA announced in March we were going to be training and deploying TSA employee-led canine teams. Since then, we’ve had two classes graduate at Lackland Air Force base. That’s 18 K-9s!

The deployment of additional explosives detection canine teams will significantly enhance TSA’s threat readiness and response capabilities at air cargo facilities nationwide. There are currently 500 K-9 teams in the field. Over the next two years the TSA plans to add 400 more teams. Of those teams, 85 will be TSA-led teams while the rest will be TSA-certified teams through our law enforcement partnership program.

Before our dogs can go through this training, they have to get through their puppy stages. You know… biting, barking, jumping, begging, digging and so forth. (My knuckleheaded dog is six and still does all of that) We have established a “puppy foster family” program to help accomplish the task of socializing our future bomb sniffers, and we’ve event sent some puppies to prison. I’m only kind of joking… they’re not bad and they’re not being punished. Like the puppies with the foster families, they are spending time every day socializing with people and getting used to sights and sounds and smells of their new unexplored surroundings.

The puppies are booked into the Travis County State Jail in Austin for a year and are cared for and offered companionship by prisoners on good behavior. It’s a win-win for all involved. The puppy foster family program is similar to puppy prison except the families are not paying a debt to society.

So if you’re interested, you either need to live in the San Antonio/Austin, Texas area or get locked up at the state pokey. (Make sure you stay on good behavior)



Shepherds, Belgian Malanoises, Labs, Vizslas and other types of dogs are used in the program because of their super sniffers and a successful history for this type of work. Each dog that is born into the TSA breeding program is named after a 9/11 victim.

The TSA provides all food, toys, veterinary care and kennels. Make sure you visit the puppy program Web page if you’re interested.

Bob
TSA EoS Blog Team