The Death of a Legendary Border Collie

By Amy Fernandez

The January 3 death of Piper was national news as well as a resounding shock to his sizeable fan base. Arguably the world’s most famous Border Collie, he had been in his high profile job only a couple years but qualified as a social media sensation by any definition. Piper made his professional debut in January, 2015 as the official wildlife control dog for Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport in northern Michigan.

His owner/business partner/manager Brian Edwards had been the airport’s operations supervisor since 2008. As such, he was familiar with this somewhat innovative position in the canine workforce. Piper wasn’t the first airport wildlife control k9, but his career was distinguished by the unusual arrangement of both dog and owner working at the same airport. However, Edwards had nothing of the sort in mind when he acquired Piper in 2012. According to interviews, he gradually became aware of Piper’s natural aptitude for the job and decided to go for it.

Public interest and industry demand for wildlife control k9s really took off (no pun intended) in 2009 following the famous “Miracle on the Hudson” on January 15 when US Airways Flight 1549, with 155 passengers onboard, managed an emergency water landing after a bird strike by Canadian geese took out both engines completely disabling the aircraft.

Although that dramatic incident highlighted the imperative need for runway bird control, the Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t maintain stats on airports utilizing wildlife control canines. FAA does, however, track bird strikes and aircraft wildlife collisions, which over the past 20 years has cost the industry approximately $600 million annually – and based on reported incidents – continues rising rapidly and steadily. The 11,590 reported collisions in 2013 were almost double the 6,769 reported in 2002 and four times the 2,892 reported a decade earlier. Increasing media attention has also heightened public desire for a humane alternative to sharpshooters, traps, and cherry bombs.

Wildlife management k9s typically patrol runways and taxiways to detect signs of animal encroachment such as tracks, scat, damage to perimeter fencing, and freshly dug burrows. In theory, even small species like mice, rats, and sparrows add to the threat because they lure larger predators to the area. All hunting/herding behavior taps into this instinctive prey drive. The trick is refining it to the job description.

As Edwards explained, his biggest training challenge was acclimating eight-year-old Piper to those jet engine noisy vibes. Otherwise, he was basically a natural, which really isn’t too surprising. The Border Collie’s intrinsic herding drive, natural agility, responsiveness, and boundless energy make it ideally suited to proactive wildlife management.

On the other hand, those are precisely the traits fueling the breed’s enormous popularity as a pet– and the resultant behavior issues associated with that less demanding lifestyle. Although Piper’s video clips certainly showcased his smarts, versatility, and charm, it’s debatable whether he helped or exacerbated that particular situation. Either way, he was a social media powerhouse, herding snowy owls, styling mirrored specs and airport regulation gear, and especially showing off his bandaged paw following a work-related injury. Everything about Piper was news except, ironically, his fatal illness. Reactions to that ten-ton shocker run the gamut. But one thing’s for sure, as much as the media delights in purebred bashing, we don’t shy away from those unpleasant topics. Rest in Peace, Piper.

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Posted by admin on Jan 18 2018. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.