Awful: Video Shows TSA Employee Mishandling Dog At Detroit Airport

Awful: Video Shows TSA Employee Mishandling Dog At Detroit Airport

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As someone who loves dogs, this is really tough to watch, though I’m happy that action has already been taken.

TSA employee at Detroit Airport treats dog poorly

Video footage posted to social media yesterday shows a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee “working” with a dog at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). In the video, the handler can be seen walking through the terminal with the dog, presumably doing some sort of training exercise.

Every time the handler made a turn, he aggressively yanked the dog’s leash, attached to the dog’s neck. Even if these were training exercises, there’s simply no justification for treating the dog this way, since this does nothing to help the dog learn, and is downright cruel.

FOX 2 Detroit spoke to the owner of a local dog training facility, and a former police canine handler, who said the following:

“One, it doesn’t look good; it looks horrible. Two the dog’s not learning from it, and it’s just rough on the dog – don’t need to be. The dog wasn’t ready to be put in that situation that many distractions. Should have been more training of the dog and more training of the handler.”

What’s shown here is a far cry from what the TSA claims its training program is like for dogs and their handlers.

TSA removes employee from dog handling duties

If there’s any silver lining to this story, it’s how quickly it was dealt with. This incident happened midday on Sunday, and as of Monday morning action has already been taken against the employees, who has been removed from dog handling duties, pending an investigation:

“Video showing a TSA explosive detection canine handler aggressively pulling a dog working in a Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) terminal was shared with local leadership this morning. The behavior displayed by this handler is unacceptable and not within the high standards we hold our officers to. TSA officials at DTW have removed the employee from handling duties pending completion of an investigation, and directed that the canine be taken immediately to a veterinarian for a wellness exam.”

I had always assumed that those who are dog handlers in official duties are generally dog lovers, and treat dogs pretty well. So it’s really sad to see this guy’s behavior… here’s to hoping he’s just a bad apple, and that this isn’t how most TSA dogs are treated.

Bottom line

On Sunday, a TSA employee at Detroit Airport was filmed treating a dog horribly. Presumably the dog was still being trained, and wasn’t performing as the handler had hoped, but that doesn’t excuse this kind of behavior.

This is one of those areas where social media comes in handy. Someone witnessed and filmed this, and less than 24 hours later, the person has been removed from these duties, and the dog will be given a wellness exam. Dogs don’t deserve to be treated this way.

What do you make of this TSA dog handler situation?

Conversations (37)
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  1. Beverly Jackson Guest

    I think this TSA agent displayed disgusting and heartless cruelty to this poor dog. This is not the way to train a dog. Shame on you. Props to TSA for taking such quick action in this situation.

  2. iamhere Guest

    What about people? How about handling how they treat their customers, as well? How they speak to the customers? How they handle customers for additional screening?

  3. Juisse Guest

    The TSA Agent should be so ashamed acting this way in a public place!! Can you imagine what he is capable of in PRIVATE? I shudder to think What is more atrocious about this situation is that it actually took a complete stranger to capture this video and post it, bringing it to everyone’s attention, including the Airport & TSA Dept. I’m glad the Airport/TSA Officials reacted quickly. What makes this situation even worse, is...

    The TSA Agent should be so ashamed acting this way in a public place!! Can you imagine what he is capable of in PRIVATE? I shudder to think What is more atrocious about this situation is that it actually took a complete stranger to capture this video and post it, bringing it to everyone’s attention, including the Airport & TSA Dept. I’m glad the Airport/TSA Officials reacted quickly. What makes this situation even worse, is that Airport Security is supposed to be watching EVERYTHING, how do they watch this behaviour and IGNORE it? Perhaps Management needs to revisit THEIR own protocols. My thanks to the person who made this video public!! ✊

  4. Lisa Guest

    That is pure animal abuse! He needs to be reprimanded and fired

  5. James Gray Guest

    Send that fat boy down here to see me in Florida and I’ll show him what it’s like to be yanked around!

  6. lasdiner Guest

    what do you expect? they haven’t been handling human beings much better since they arrived in 2001

  7. Eskimo Guest

    So where do you draw the line of cruelty or mistreatment?

    Did any of these agency receive consent by the dog to be trained? Ever seen a dog paw stamped contract?

    Are we not bunch of pet lover hypocrites?

  8. Aussie Guest

    Obese, irritable and abusive to animals. This guy is a high achiever.

  9. derek Guest

    The Black dog fared better with the White officer than George Floyd. The Black dog was not following commands fast enough. That is unreasonable.

    Black Lives Matter.

  10. Robyn Guest

    This so called dog handler should have someone do the same thing to him what he did to this poor dog!

  11. Milessa Decker Guest

    Hopefully this guy has been removed from dog handling. No need for that crap, think he is not a dog person!!

  12. AGrumpyOldMan_GA Diamond

    Yes, that video is painful to watch, for sure. I love dogs in general, but I absolutely adore our 1.5 yo German Shepherd. Now, with a big powerful dog, you do have to be firm because such a dog can be a handful if not properly controlled. But I have NEVER roughly handled our girl like the guy in the video. He definitely went too far. Probably best he be given non-dog duties.

  13. Alonzo Diamond

    Did they ask for his permission to film him? It's illegal in Michigan to film someone without their permission so this could be labeled as a hate crime.

    1. Leigh Diamond

      If that's really the first thing that comes to your mind while watching an animal being treated cruelty, you have your priorities completely screwed up. And it's a public officer in public space, so he wouldn't have any such claim of privacy anyways.

    2. Alonzo Diamond

      Inside of airports are not public spaces. And TSA is a private entity so def not a public officer.

    3. Leigh Diamond

      Alonzo...you should perhaps wait until you get past 4th grade before you comment. Airports are public spaces, and the TSA is a federal agency. How in the h*** you don't know this basic stuff is mind-boggling.

    4. Alonzo Diamond

      Can't even determine you're being trolled smh. Loser Leigh.

    5. Leigh Diamond

      I think the person who describes themselves as a troll is the real loser. Enjoy your fulfilling life as a troll.

    6. Bill Guest

      This is completely false and honestly a bit of a weird comment as it seems like you are trying to defend the guy abusing the dog. It is absolutely legal to film someone in a public place in Michigan.

    7. digital_notmad Diamond

      Moreover, even if it were illegal to film without permission in MI, there is a first amendment right to film law enforcement officials which would trump any state law to the contrary. And, I have no idea what hate crime laws would have to do with any of this.

    8. Alonzo Diamond

      I'm on the board of the ASPCA.

    9. Tee Jay Guest

      In your case- ASPCA: American Society for the Promotion of Cruelty to Animals.

    10. JohnRossa Gold

      Thank you for posting that. Alonzo is clearly a mental pygmy. I'm sure he couldn't even spell "ASPCA" and had to Google it. It must suck to be as dumb as he is.

    11. Alonzo Diamond

      Sad how you immediately go to hate speech. Must suck to be as bitter and miserable as you. Maybe someone should put a leash on you.

    12. Eskimo Guest

      You can't fix stupid brainwashed by propaganda or having entitlement issues that's dividing America today.

      You can Google 'Michigan Legislature - Section 750.539a' for what MI considers "Private place".

    13. Shangster11 Guest

      Alonzo…. You really shouldn’t be on the board of anything. Seriously.

    14. Juisse Guest

      Alonso, ! Please educate yourself before making incorrect statements. The TSA Agent should be so ashamed acting this way in a public place!! Can you imagine what he is capable of in PRIVATE? I shudder to think What is more atrocious about this situation is that it actually took a complete stranger to capture this video and post it, bringing it to everyone’s attention, including the Airport & TSA Dept. I’m glad the Airport/TSA Officials...

      Alonso, ! Please educate yourself before making incorrect statements. The TSA Agent should be so ashamed acting this way in a public place!! Can you imagine what he is capable of in PRIVATE? I shudder to think What is more atrocious about this situation is that it actually took a complete stranger to capture this video and post it, bringing it to everyone’s attention, including the Airport & TSA Dept. I’m glad the Airport/TSA Officials reacted quickly. What makes this situation even worse, is that Airport Security is supposed to be watching EVERYTHING, how do they watch this behaviour and IGNORE it? Perhaps Management needs to revisit THEIR own protocols. My thanks to the person who made this video public!! ✊

  14. uldguy Diamond

    Dollars to donuts, I’m pretty sure this guy has one or more pet dogs at home.

    And he handles them the same way, or worse.

    Dogs deserve better.

  15. TravelinWilly Diamond

    This “handler” should be collared and yanked, violently, through the airport.

    1. JohnRossa Gold

      He probably pays his hookers extra for that.

  16. The Dog Guest

    Removing him is not enough. His next job should be picking up the trash at the same airport where he mistreated the dog.

    1. AGrumpyOldMan_GA Diamond

      I don't think he needs to be fired. He may just not be experienced in handling dog. You can't know his motives or intent from one video. Changing his duties is most likely sufficient. People online are too quick to demand extreme responses from reviewing on video or reading one statement. Maybe not like this video, but I am sure there are things many of us do at work that someone, not knowing anything more...

      I don't think he needs to be fired. He may just not be experienced in handling dog. You can't know his motives or intent from one video. Changing his duties is most likely sufficient. People online are too quick to demand extreme responses from reviewing on video or reading one statement. Maybe not like this video, but I am sure there are things many of us do at work that someone, not knowing anything more than what little they may see, could reach a dubious conclusion and demand that you be fired when that is not necessarily warranted.

    2. Leigh Diamond

      I can see one side of your point. But to say he may not be experienced as a dog handler is not an excuse; if he has no experience, then why is he in the role already with responsibility in a public area, and if he's not an experienced dog handler, how is the dog ever to properly be taught how to do the role for which it has responsibility, which is to assist with vigilant public safety???

    3. James Gray Guest

      Common sense that you don’t yank a dog on leash like a rag doll. Fat boy is lucky someone didn’t knock him out for mistreating that poor dog.

    4. jetjock64 Guest

      @Grumpy - there is no ambiguity here. This so-called dog handler shows himself as a basically failed human being taking out a stunted and twisted psyche on an innocent animal. Jail time would actually be too good for him!

    5. lasdiner Guest

      I can see you have extensive human resource managerial experience-because I am certain the guy hates animals and did that on purpose and asked to be assigned to that task because he hates dogs. And that video is not shot by some Karen who didn’t get to the front of tsa line looking for some type of retaliation from the BAD tsa (it is bad, i agree)
      You think it takes a minute to...

      I can see you have extensive human resource managerial experience-because I am certain the guy hates animals and did that on purpose and asked to be assigned to that task because he hates dogs. And that video is not shot by some Karen who didn’t get to the front of tsa line looking for some type of retaliation from the BAD tsa (it is bad, i agree)
      You think it takes a minute to hire and train a TSA officer? You obviously must not be running a business or be in charge of personnel in your current endeavors

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Leigh Diamond

Alonzo...you should perhaps wait until you get past 4th grade before you comment. Airports are public spaces, and the TSA is a federal agency. How in the h*** you don't know this basic stuff is mind-boggling.

3
Tee Jay Guest

In your case- ASPCA: American Society for the Promotion of Cruelty to Animals.

3
TravelinWilly Diamond

This “handler” should be collared and yanked, violently, through the airport.

3
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