Are floppy-eared dogs less scary than pointy-eared ones? The Transportation Security Administration reportedly believes so.
Speaking to a Washington Examiner reporter during a December tour of operations at a Virginia airport, TSA Administrator David Pekoske said the administration finds "the passenger acceptance of floppy ear dogs is just better. It presents just a little bit less of a concern...doesn't scare children."
In a statement to 10News, James O. Gregory, a deputy assistant administrator of public affairs at TSA, said the move is more about adjusting to perceptions of certain dog breeds.
"The adjustment to consider the appearance of dogs during the purchasing process was part of an informal internal decision and is more about adapting to people’s perceptions about floppy-eared dogs (sporting breeds) being more friendly versus pointy-eared dogs (herding dog breeds) that may appear to be more aggressive looking," Gregory said in a statement. "With all canine breeds that TSA deploys, we are confident that each canine is capable of working as required in their assigned environment. All TSA canines are selected, trained, and deployed based on their ability to detect explosives odor, their solid heath, and their temperament."
Michael Bilello, an assistant administrator for strategic communication and public affairs at the TSA, told People magazine the agency isn't banning or phasing out dogs with pointy ears, but rather "they are hoping to transition to using floppy-eared dogs over the next few years."
Bilello told People floppy-eared dogs aren't as "intimidating" and can be "a little more inviting and welcoming."
TSA said it has more than 320 passenger-screening canine teams at airports nationwide. These canines are trained to detective explosives and harmful materials on travelers and their belongings. About one-third of the teams interact with passengers.
The Examiner said about 80 percent of the 1,200 dogs TSA uses are ones with droopy ears. About 20 percent have "cone-shaped" ears.
