TSA and dogs
Jun 3, 2012 | 10:42 pm
#1
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TSA and dogs
A month ago TSA informed me there is a new policy. Since I have a service dog, TSA is required to swab my hands (TWO hands) for explosive dust and drugs. How dumb is that?
Also TSA said anyone who is traveling with a dog is required to have its hands swabbed for explosive dust and drugs.
Also TSA said anyone who is traveling with a dog is required to have its hands swabbed for explosive dust and drugs.
Last edited by squeakr; Jun 4, 2012 at 12:42 pm Reason: correct spelling
Jun 3, 2012 | 11:07 pm
#2
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the only place I saw this was on the Guide Dogs web site
I assume you mean swab your hands? The latest bulletin from GDUI talks about this.
http://www.gdui.org/
I know they are in contact w/ TSA about new rules and regulations and do a lot of advocacy work so you might check with them if there is any new info on this policy.
Good luck.
http://www.gdui.org/
I know they are in contact w/ TSA about new rules and regulations and do a lot of advocacy work so you might check with them if there is any new info on this policy.
Good luck.
Jun 4, 2012 | 7:32 am
#3
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A month ago TSA informed me there is a new policy. Since I have a service dog, TSA is required to swamp my hands (TWO hands) for explosive dust and drugs. How dumb is that?
Also TSA said anyone who is traveling with a dog is required to have its hands swamp for explosive dust and drugs.
Also TSA said anyone who is traveling with a dog is required to have its hands swamp for explosive dust and drugs.
Jun 4, 2012 | 7:40 am
#4
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Actually TSA has beeing doing this with medical devices such as insulin pumps for quite some time. The policy change was initiated as the result of concerns raised by advocates and the same thing applies to service dogs.
It's not dumb at all and functions very well. Rather than having the swab touch the medical device or service animal, the swab only touches your hands. The experts agree that if there were any explosives attached to the device/animal, the handler's hands would show trace amounts.
It's not dumb at all and functions very well. Rather than having the swab touch the medical device or service animal, the swab only touches your hands. The experts agree that if there were any explosives attached to the device/animal, the handler's hands would show trace amounts.
Jun 4, 2012 | 7:44 am
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Why are these folks getting swabbed 100% of the time, when people without medical devices or service animals are not swabbed 100% of the time? Seems discriminatory to me.
Jun 4, 2012 | 9:30 am
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It's not even remotely discriminatory. The hand swab replaces the swab of the device which is necessary because the device doesn't go through the x-ray. Pax is free to run a device through the x-ray, but almost all manufacturers recomend against it.
Jun 4, 2012 | 10:16 am
#7
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And what about those with service dogs? All of their possessions go through the x-ray, but they get hand swabbed anyway.
Jun 4, 2012 | 10:22 am
#8
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OP is right, although I can't find a link. It was in the news very recently - something about intel indicating that the bad guys have been talking about implanting nastiness in animals - hence the stepped-up security of any kind of animal going on board, pets or service animals.
Jun 4, 2012 | 10:27 am
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It's particularly a pain when flying with a connection, if the animal needs to be relieved. Except for the few airports with pet areas air side, you have to go ground side and get screened/swabbed again. On the plus side, every checkpoint I've gone through with my dog has been very efficient and professional about the swab.
Jun 4, 2012 | 12:11 pm
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Actually TSA has beeing doing this with medical devices such as insulin pumps for quite some time. The policy change was initiated as the result of concerns raised by advocates and the same thing applies to service dogs.
It's not dumb at all and functions very well. Rather than having the swab touch the medical device or service animal, the swab only touches your hands. The experts agree that if there were any explosives attached to the device/animal, the handler's hands would show trace amounts.
It's not dumb at all and functions very well. Rather than having the swab touch the medical device or service animal, the swab only touches your hands. The experts agree that if there were any explosives attached to the device/animal, the handler's hands would show trace amounts.
Jun 4, 2012 | 12:45 pm
#11
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the only reference I've seen is this
Jun 4, 2012 | 1:14 pm
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So if the owner swabs clean but the dog alarms, does the dog get a backroom strip search?
BTW, thanks for finding a reference squeakr. I know this is a very recent initiative based on specific intel, but I couldn't seem to find anything out there.
BTW, thanks for finding a reference squeakr. I know this is a very recent initiative based on specific intel, but I couldn't seem to find anything out there.
Jun 4, 2012 | 2:30 pm
#13
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This generally takes 30-45 seconds.
Jun 4, 2012 | 2:35 pm
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You apparently don't travel with either a medical device or a service animal. In the past, it was the medical device or service animal which was swabbed. But, patient advocates protested to DHS (TSA) that this was problematic for a delicate device and disturbing to the service animal. From those complaints, the system of swabbing the pax's hands so that neither the Officer nor the swab device (simply a stick with a piece of cloth clipped to it) actually touch the device or the animal.
This generally takes 30-45 seconds.
This generally takes 30-45 seconds.
I've seen plenty of swabbing, but I have never seen the kind of device you are describing in use (although properly used, it might reduce the potential false positives generated by a groper fumbling around with the swabs with dirty gloves).
Jun 4, 2012 | 5:27 pm
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This clearly depends on the airport.
I've seen plenty of swabbing, but I have never seen the kind of device you are describing in use (although properly used, it might reduce the potential false positives generated by a groper fumbling around with the swabs with dirty gloves).
I've seen plenty of swabbing, but I have never seen the kind of device you are describing in use (although properly used, it might reduce the potential false positives generated by a groper fumbling around with the swabs with dirty gloves).