Piper the Airport K9 holds a special place in the Rex Specs family’s heart. Piper was not only an amazing working dog but also a dog that brought great joy to many people.
Today, we remember Piper, a year after his passing. Within this post we have included a few of our favorite Piper videos that may have brought a tear or two to our eyes watching them now. In addition a great recent podcast about Piper from A Life of Dogs, give it a listen!
If you are one of the few who is not familiar with Piper, he was a Wildlife Control Canine at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, MI. The Cherry Capital Airport is required by the Federal Aviation Administration to have a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan in place. Wildlife is a serious threat and hazard to aviation and K-9 Piper was one of the solutions put in place.
Piper helped increase aviation safety by responding directly to wildlife. What this means? He spent his time on duty chasing birds and wildlife off from the runways. As a border collie he was a perfect fit for the job.
Piper was not only a working dog but a bit of a K-9 celebrity. As one of the only Airport K-9s in the United States, Piper was featured on BuzzFeed, Mashable, CNN, CBS, and even Travel + Leisure.
After Piper’s passing his owner and handler, Brian, requested that any donations be made in Piper’s name to Spikes K9 Fund. Spikes offers “K9 Piper Kit” donations starting at $5.00 that goes toward a variety of K9 protective gear. All donations made go toward buying protective gear for law enforcement and military working dogs.
Here’s to you Piper. We miss you buddy.