TSA K-9 ‘Panka’ Retires After 6 Years at Chicago O’Hare, Given Heroic Farewell

CHICAGO (WLS) — A canine that’s served and protected the flying public received a big reward Wednesday.

“Panka” is retiring after her long career of keeping passengers safe at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

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At O’Hare Airport, there are 18 TSA K-9 teams playing a crucial role by helping identify explosives as passengers move through the security checkpoint.

On a typical Wednesday, a TSA handler acted as one of the numerous travelers passing through the O’Hare security every day. In this instance, however, he was a decoy carrying the scent of an explosive to test if the K-9 would detect him. Naturally, he was caught.

Panka, an 8-year-old German short-haired pointer, was rewarded with tennis balls from TSA officers. She also received a basket filled with treats to enjoy at home.

Balloons spelled out the words ‘you did it” at her retirement party.

“She’s been a very reliable public servant, keeping passengers safe,” TSA handler Pete Kligerman said.

Kligerman is Panka’s handler. He’s been with TSA more than two decades, but he said the last six years with Panka have been the most rewarding.

Not only do they work together, but they go home together at night. Panka lives with Kligerman.

“She’s been a delight for us the whole time,” Kligerman said. “She should have a rewarding pet life now rather than a work life.”

TSA uses K-9s at airports around the country particularly for explosive detection. Like many of her fellow service K-9s, Panka was born overseas, in the Netherlands, and then brought to the United States for training before being assigned to an airport and a handler.

“They’re not drug dogs,” TSA spokesperson Jessica Mayle said. “They’re not trying to sniff anything out. They’re looking for that scent of explosives. Really trying to detect something that could take a plane down.”

Kligerman said Panka has done that very effectively for the last six years, but now it’s time to relax.

“I feel so proud of her,” Kligerman said. “I feel honored to be part of this program.”

Kligerman is hoping to get another K-9 to start working with very soon, but he realizes it might take some time. Demand is greater than supply for the talented dogs right now.