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  4. CBP Retires Working Belgian Malinois

CBP Retires Working Belgian Malinois

Release Date
Thu, 11/08/2018

Canine served 5 years at Bush Intercontinental Airport

HOUSTON – A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) canine who has worked at Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for the last five years was placed in retirement status, Nov. 7.

CBP K9 Tara
CBP retires K9 Tara.

Tara, a Belgian Malinois, specialized in detecting humans and narcotics finding marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and hashish while serving with CBP.    

“CBP officers and their canine partners carry out an important element of our agency’s mission,” said Houston Area Port Director Raymond S. Polley.  “Tara has performed a mission-critical role of detecting controlled substances and preventing them from entering our communities.  We appreciate Tara’s dedication and hard work and wish her well in her retirement.”   

CBP employs canines as long as they are able to successfully perform the mission. The service career of a detector dog normally lasts around eight years.  Tara has reached retirement age and will go home with her handler.

CBP has over 1,500 canine teams specializing in concealed human and narcotic detection, search and rescue, tracking/trailing, canine instructor program, special response (patrol), currency/firearms detection and human remains detection.  The CBP Canine Program is the largest and most diverse law enforcement canine program in the country.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021