“When a door closes, a window opens.” This saying is true not only for us humans but for dogs, too!
A German Shepherd named Ozzie has been training for ten months to become a police dog in Queensland, Australia. Unfortunately, he failed his exams, so he could no longer be part of the Queensland Police Service. This good boy was just too sweet to pin down the bad guys!
Fortunately, the Brisbane Airport took Ozzie in and gave him another chance to prove his skills. He was given the role to chase away birds and other animals on the airplane runway.
Ozzie’s role is just as important as everyone else’s at the airport. Bird strikes shouldn’t be taken lightly — there has been a total of 10,000 reported collisions between birds and airplanes per year, mostly occurring during landing or take off. With Ozzie’s help, these birds and other wildlife get to spare their lives, and the airport is kept safe for the crew and passengers alike.
Before dogs were introduced to this role, the airport personnel used cars with loud sirens to shoo away the runway birds. But this technique didn’t work for too long because the birds had learned to adapt to the sound.
Ever since Ozzie and his handler Jackson Ring came around, the birds no longer come near the runway. No birds mean no collisions!
When he’s not busy chasing birds, Ozzie’s favorite pastime is playing ball with Jackson. They also regularly go to the park to practice drills with the birds in the area.
If only the pup could speak, he would surely tell us that he’s enjoying his job. He’s got a great handler, coworkers who love being around him, and of course, birds to chase all day.
Ozzie may not have made it as a police dog, but he is happier now protecting the skies and the runway. Learn more about this pup’s responsibilities in the video below with his handler, Jackson.
Video credit: Youtube Brisbane Airport