TSA honors retiring O'Hare Airport K-9 'Panka' with hero's send-off

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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There are 18 TSA K-9 teams at O'Hare Airport. They play a vital role for the airport helping identify explosives as passengers go through the security checkpoint.

A TSA handler on Wednesday posed as one of thousands of passengers walking through the security at O'Hare airport every day. But in this case, he was a decoy carrying the scent of an explosive device to see if the K-9 would catch him. And of course, he was caught.

Panka, an 8-year-old German short-haired pointe, was showered with tennis balls from TSA officers as a reward. She also got a basket full of goodies 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.

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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.