HONOLULU - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) Wednesday celebrated the career and retirement of Bruno, a four-year-old Labrador Retriever who is trained as an explosive detection canine, and his handler Kathy.
During Bruno’s tenure with TSA, he was trained as a Passenger Screening Canine (PSC) to detect the scent of explosives and explosive materials. PSCs utilize their keen sense of smell when working in and around travelers and their belongings in a busy transportation environment.
Since October 2019, Bruno and canine handler Kathy have screened thousands of departing travelers and their belongings for potential transportation security threats. They have also trained hundreds of hours together to maintain Bruno’s certification and to keep his explosive detection capabilities sharp.
“TSA canines like Bruno are premiere security ambassadors and a favorite of travelers who depart HNL,” said TSA Federal Security Director Jenel Chang. “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 worked his entire career at HNL. In addition to screening passengers at airports and working in the broader transportation environment, Bruno and Kathy traveled to support security operations and festivities in February during Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles.
The retirement ceremony featured a final working session that ended at the Japanese Garden in HNL’s Terminal 2. As Bruno anticipated the traditional praise and reward that working canines universally enjoy, several TSA officers who were stationed on an overlook above, showered him with more than 100 “squeaky” tennis balls, signaling the end to his working career. Bruno was then presented with an edible, dog-friendly cake shaped like a bone.
With his working dog days behind him, Bruno, who will turn five years old in January, will continue to live with Kathy and transition to being a pampered pooch. He will join Llake, a 15-year-old Labrador Retriever, who is also a retired TSA working dog. Llake is named after a New York Fire Department firefighter who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Prior to his retirement, Bruno was among more than 450 PSCs who work at airports across the country. Explosive detection canines are an effective tool in deterring and detecting the introduction of explosive devices into the nation’s transportation systems. While they are sociable, working canines should not be petted by the public or fed by anyone except their handlers.
###