It looks like Hardy the beagle knows he's a good dog.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture detector dog was on the case when a passenger traveling from Ecuador tried to bring a roasted pig's head in baggage through the world's busiest airport. The agency said Hardy alerted to the baggage at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Oct. 11.
CBP agriculture specialists then discovered the 2-pound cooked pig's head, which was seized and destroyed -- probably not the outcome Hardy had in mind. In a photo taken after the seizure, Hardy's grinning face can be seen popping out from behind the items he helped uncover.
Pork and pork products from other continents are not allowed into the United States in an effort to avoid introducing foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever and other animal diseases. CBP Area Port Director Carey Davis hailed Hardy's work as illustrating "the tremendous expertise of our four-legged K-9 partners in protecting the United States."
Hardy is 6-year-old beagle who has been with CBP in Atlanta since 2015. He trained with the US Department of Agriculture, learining the skills necessary to help officers find items like pork, fruit, vegatables or other food that must be declared before it can enter the United States.
