The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is looking for active, energetic Bryan-College Station households to volunteer as foster homes for a new litter of puppies bred for the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program. The puppies will be delivered to foster homes by June 1, 2009.
TSA's Puppy Program selectively breeds, raises, and prepares puppies to be future explosives-detection dogs within the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program. Dogs who graduate from training are assigned to airports and mass transit systems nationwide. The program is located at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
The program depends on volunteer families in Texas to raise the puppies between the ages of 9 weeks and 12 months before they can enter explosives detection training. During this time they are responsible for providing the pups with a well-rounded, socialized and nurturing environment. To help, there is an orientation before receiving the pup, a puppy raising guidebook, and the staff is available anytime for questions or emergencies.
The program also supplies food, equipment, and medical care for the puppies while in foster care. The puppies are returned to the program for one week each month for medical and behavioral evaluation, at which time the program provides feedback to the foster families on how the puppy is developing. At approximately one year of age, the pups are returned to the program to start their official training.
Potential puppy foster homes must have a secure fenced yard, a vehicle in which the pup can be transported, and no more than two other dogs in the home already.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer puppy walker, please complete the linked application below. You can fax or mail your application to TSA at the number or address listed on the application. Once the program receives your application it will be reviewed and a TSA staff member will contact you with further details.
