Anna Caplan
Piper went viral a couple of years ago when Reddit users caught sight of the Border Collie wearing goggles and ear muffs, standing at attention on a Michigan airport runway.
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Since then, the canine amassed large Twitter and Instagram followings, his accounts dedicated to detailing his aviation exploits.
Sadly, Piper has crossed the rainbow bridge, passing away after a battle with prostate cancer.
The dog, who was employed as a K-9 wildlife control expert at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, Michigan, had to be trained to do his job–like any human.
In a past Reddit AMA, the airport’s operations manager, Brian Edwards said:
“It’s not natural for dogs to be around aircraft, so we had to gradually work up to the different sounds. Each aircraft has a different sound. Every day we’d go out and do some socializing, consistent. This also built trust that I’m not going to put him into a bad situation.”
It took Piper about a year and a half to get acclimated to the job — but he was good at it, and dedicated, working “four 10-hour shifts per week on a rotating basis,” according to information on the website airportk9.org.
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The website broke it down even further, saying it all amounted to “8,367 birds chased, 1,907 miles patrolled, and 6,202 hours worked.”
