A gold watch and cake are as classic as a doggie retirement party.
It must be especially rewarding to be an explosive detection dog in the dog world. You work for an important company, you receive good benefits, and you love humans.
In June 2020, TTirado retired from his job sniffing bags and keeping the airport terminals safe as a detection dog at Indianapolis International Airport. At the Transportation Security Administration, his coworkers decided to give him a grand farewell on his last day.
TTirado comes around the corner in a video posted on the Indy airport’s Instagram that July. TTirado’s “hit” response seems to have been triggered by the red bag, placed in front of some balloon-draped seats. After sniffing the bag, the pupper sits in front of it and stares intently at it. This is the magic moment.
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Tennis balls fall from above, sending TTirado into a play stance before he tries to catch each one separately. Finally, he settles on one and marches off with a satisfied tail wag.
It isn’t the first time this video has been resurfaced on Instagram, because people love a good story about a good dog.
TTirado has been working with the TSA alongside his handler, Keith Gray, since 2012 after being named after fallen firefighter Hector Luis Tirado, Jr. Throughout his illustrious career, Tirado also worked security at the Kentucky Derby, Indy 500, and the NCAA Final Four. Gray adopted him after his retirement, naming him the TSA Handler of the Year for 2020.
According to a recent TSA news release, Tirado and Gray planned to visit Ground Zero in New York and FDNY Station 23, where Tirado Jr. worked. Ari, the German shorthaired pointer Gray employs at Indianapolis International Airport, is a celebrity in his own right.
