This Beagle Sniffed Out An Illegal Pig’s Head At The Airport

When you’re going on a long flight, it can be tempting to bring along some snacks to munch on. However, one passenger ran into some trouble with U.S. Customs and Border Protection when she attempted to transport illegal food — and it was discovered by a hardworking airport canine.

On Oct. 11, Hardy the agriculture detector dog and member of the “Beagle Brigade” sniffed out a 2-lb. cooked pig’s head at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. A passenger traveling from Ecuador to the U.S. was busted attempting to bring the pig’s head in her baggage.

Most pork and pork products from other continents are not allowed into the U.S. due to the risk of foot and mouth disease, swine fever and other animal diseases.

“Our best defense against destructive pests and animal diseases is to prevent the entry of prohibited agriculture products from entering the United States,” Carey Davis, U.S. Customs and Border Protection area port director for the Port of Atlanta, said in a statement. “This seizure at ATL illustrates the tremendous expertise of our four-legged K-9 partners in protecting the United State

Hardy is a 6-year-old beagle who has been with the team since 2015. After his discovery, the pig’s head was seized and destroyed. Hopefully Hardy got a head scratch and some treats for his hard work!

Of course, this is not the first time someone has attempted to bring strange and/or illegal items on a plane. In fact, there’s an entire Instagram account dedicated to the bizarre things passengers have attempted to smuggle past Transporation Secuirty Administration (TSA) agents.