August 31st was a special day for Ibbers and his fellow humans and dogs. The explosives detecting dog has officially retired after 10 years of dedicated service.
A Labrador Retriever and Hungarian Shorthaired Pointer cross has helped keep users and staff safe at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota. He has also been involved in major sporting events such as the Super Bowl.
His employer was the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the U.S. national airport safety agency.
His name was chosen in memory of James H. Ebbers 2nd Class, a US Army soldier who died in October 2002 in Djibouti.
Ibbers was also voted the cutest dog in the TSA.
The day before Ibbers’ retirement, the TSA announced that he had been voted the administration’s cutest dog for 2022. As such, he will be featured on the cover of TSA’s 2023 calendar.
His handler Jean Carney has also retired, allowing the duo to lead a peaceful and happy civilian life.
During a party organized for the dog, the latter received many gifts and even got the right to a cake in the form of a bomb.
Members of his unit symbolically took off his service clothes marked «do not iron» to the public. Now he can ask for cuddles at will…
