TSA canine handler Michelle and Barni work at San Francisco International Airport where they assist with passenger screening. (TSA photo)
SAN FRANCISCO - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is celebrating 5-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) Barni, who was voted TSA’s Cutest Canine for 2024.
In two rounds of national voting conducted last week on TSA’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts, Barni came out as ‘top dog.’ TSA held the contest in recognition of National Dog Day, which is celebrated every year on August 26.
Barni started his career with TSA in 2022 and has been paired with his handler, Michelle, since then. He has a fabulous nose and has been trained to sniff out any traces of explosives on and inside stationary objects like trash bins as well as moving objects like passengers and their carry-on items. Barni can follow the scents in the air currents to follow in the air as travelers pass by with their suitcases, backpacks, messenger bags and the like packed full of items.
Barni is a very special canine with a strong work ethic and plenty of drive and energy. He works regularly at San Francisco International Airport as an important layer of TSA’s security operations. Barni is a beautiful chocolate brown with velvety floppy ears.
Fun loving, Barni is a dog who wants to be everyone’s best friend. He loves to have his velvety ears rubbed and works hard to be rewarded with his favorite toy, a squeaky ball.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Barni as he officially is crowned TSA’s cutest canine. One look at him and you can see why he is deserving of this title,” said Fred Lau, TSA Federal Security Director for San Francisco. “We thank everyone who voted and put their paws together for Barni and help us highlight the important role Barni and all of our other wonderfully talented canine teams play in our security operations.”
Each year TSA produces a free downloadable monthly calendar. As the winner of TSA’s Cutest Canine Contest, Barni will be featured on the cover of the 2025 calendar. A dozen other TSA canines will be featured inside the calendar, which will be released in late fall. The 2024 Canine Calendar is available on the TSA website.
“Barni is a wonderful working dog,” said Michelle Cogle, Barni’s canine partner. “And indeed, Barni is just so cute. He is always eager to come to the airport with me each morning, ready to focus on our mission to ensure that travelers get to their destinations safely and get home safely.”
“Because he is so very handsome, he attracts attention from passengers who we screen as they work their way through the security checkpoint line,” Cogle adds. “He loves his job keeping travelers safe and he enjoys meeting and sniffing passengers.”
TSA utilizes passenger screening canines like Barni in its security operations nationwide. They are trained to detect the scent of explosives and explosive materials. These highly-skilled dogs are paired with handlers who utilize the working canine’s keen sense of smell when working throughout busy transportation environments.
Travelers departing, arriving and walking through the nation’s airports routinely see TSA passenger screening canine teams working around passengers. These teams nimbly work through large groups of people to detect the source of a potential explosive. TSA canine handlers train frequently with their canines and learn how to interpret canine behaviors when the dog detects an explosive scent.
TSA has trained more than 1,000 canine teams that work at airports and mass-transit facilities across the country. While TSA’s canine partners are sociable, they are working dogs and should only be touched and fed by their handlers.
Prior winners of TSA’s cutest canine contest include:
- 2019: Alfie, Labrador Retriever, and his handler Jason; Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- 2020: Kajla, Vizsla, and her handler Penny; Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu
- 2021: Alona, Golden Retriever, and her handler Vanessa; Harry Reid International Airport
- 2022: Ebbers, Labrador, and her handler Jeannie; Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
- 2023: Dina, German Shorthaired Pointer, and her handler Nick; Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas
- 2024; Barni, German Shorthaired Pointer, and his handler, Michelle; San Francisco International Airport