Pet News & Entertainment Feel-Good Stories Watch as Bomb-sniffing Dog Gets Showered in Toys During His Retirement Celebration Eebbers worked at the Minneapolis airport for 10 years and deserves every single one of those toys. By Austin Cannon Austin Cannon Austin is Daily Paws' associate editor. He loves his poodle, Riley, and has been known to play with cats on occasion, even though he's allergic to them. Other interests include ice cream, riding his bicycle, and the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. He's won two certificates of excellence and one MUSE Medallion award from the Cat Writers' Association. He lives in Iowa. Daily Paws' Editorial Guidelines Published on September 7, 2022 Photo: Courtesy of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport The Transportation Security Administration's cutest canine retired at the end of last month with a shower of toys and a very explosive cake. Eebbers, an 11-year-old Labrador retriever and Vizsla mix, worked as an explosives-sniffing dog for 10 years at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport—when he wasn't working at Super Bowls, NCAA championships, and the Special Olympics. He was named after U.S. Army Pvt. James Ebbers, who died in October 2002 in Djibouti, Africa, at the age of 19. The dog was born as a part of the TSA's Puppy Program and was the last remaining member to still work for the TSA. Right before his last day, the TSA announced Eebbers had won the administration's 2022 Cutest Canine Contest. Thanks to his public support, Eebbers will grace the cover of the TSA's 2023 Canine Calendar. Watch as Airport Detection Dog Gets the Sendoff of Every Pup's Dream With that honor and a decade of service, he certainly deserved his big sendoff, courtesy of WCCO in Minneapolis: Aw, look at that tail. Eebbers retired alongside his handler and partner Jean Carney, according to NPR. Along with all those toys, he also received a bomb-shaped pup cake with his name on it. The TSA employs more than 1,000 canine teams. Dogs like Eebbers, with their incredibly powerful noses, are trained to sniff and then alert their handlers when they detect explosives or other contraband. All while in a busy, loud airport where—shockingly—not everyone is on their best behavior. As part of his goodbye celebration, Eebbers's colleagues took off his "do not pet" vest, allowing him to finally get some good scratches and pets from admirers. He's retired to a life of swimming and just being a dog. A dog with many, many new toys. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit