Piper: The Border Collie Patrol

Birds may look harmless on the ground, but every airplane pilot trying to land will tell you what a significant threat they pose. But did you know that airports hire special personnel to keep birds off a plane’s path? Well, Piper, the Border Collie is one of the special ones. 

This picture shows Piper, who worked with his handler, Brian Edwards, at the Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City. Dressed in full work gear, he was tasked with scaring birds off the runway and making it safe for planes. Unfortunately, he passed on in 2018 after three years in the profession.