Vote for Milwaukee's 'Birdie' in the TSA's Cutest Canine contest
Birdie
MILWAUKEE - Voting begins today (Aug. 19) in the Transportation Security Administration’s 2024 Cutest Canine contest.
Birdie, a three-year-old Yellow Lab/Vizsla mix who works at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, is one of four finalists in this year’s contest.
You can help the TSA pick which of its working canines is most deserving of the title. All voting is being conducted via TSA’s social media platforms, including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook.
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How to vote
You can vote every day via Twitter Poll, Facebook Stories and Instagram Stories.
Birdie will be competing in round one of voting, which is open now until Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 11 a.m. central time.
If she advances, the public can vote for her again in the final round of online voting starting Wednesday, Aug. 21.
TSA will announce the contest winner on Monday, Aug. 26.
In addition to MKE’s Birdie, the other finalists are Barni, a German Shorthaired Pointer from San Francisco International Airport (SFO); Carlo, a Vizsla from Kansas City International Airport (MCI); and Badger, a Belgian Malinois from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
More about Birdie
Birdie is an energetic pup who has been working with her handler Zach at Milwaukee Mitchell for nearly a year. She loves her squeaker ball, wiggling her whole backside, and chewing Greenies.
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Airport canines
TSA utilizes canines like Birdie in its security operations nationwide. They are trained to detect the scent of explosives or explosive materials.
These highly-skilled dogs are paired with handlers and utilize their keen sense of smell when working in a busy transportation environment.
Canines are a visible layer of security, and they supplement TSA’s efforts to keep travelers safe and secure.
In addition to working in an aviation environment, they are also trained to work in mass transit, commuter rail and maritime venues. TSA currently has more than 1,000 explosives detection canine teams deployed nationwide.