CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia International Yeager Airport is celebrating its beloved Wildlife Patrol Dog’s seventh birthday, in addition to welcoming in a brand new pooch to be taught the ropes of runway-guarding.
After beginning his profession because the Wildlife Patrol Dog at CRW in 2018 when he was only one and half years old, a celebration was held for Hercules on March 27 on the Kanawha County Public Library department in Charleston.
Yeager Airport Director and CEO Dominque Ranieri informed MetroNews that library workers in addition to the group love Hercules and wished to participate in celebrating him.
“He is 7 years old which is a huge deal, we’re so excited,” Ranieri mentioned. “The Kanawha County Library does a great job with getting Hercules out into the community, especially with the younger community, so we love the opportunity to be able to celebrate him with them.”
However, since Hercules is now 7, Ranieri mentioned they’ve to begin planning for what’s subsequent of their wildlife management program.
In doing so, Ranieri mentioned they only welcomed one other Border Collie to hitch the workforce. And she mentioned he’s so new they don’t also have a title for him but, however they’re at present engaged on arising with one.
Meanwhile, the brand new Border Collie is getting acclimated and receiving coaching for his soon-to-be position of deterring wildlife off of the runway.
Ranieri mentioned Hercules will take within the new pup as his wingman so he can be taught every part the job entails.
“He will work with Hercules on the airfield, learn from Hercules exactly what needs to be done in keeping all of the wildlife away from the aircraft, and as Hercules transitions to just doing his marketing roles, the new Border Collie will take on the bulk of the runway work,” she mentioned.
She mentioned since Hercules has been serving on the airport, the wildlife inhabitants on the airfield has dropped immensely, from birds to rabbits, and even the coyotes that prey on these animals have all backed off of the airfield and the encompassing space.
Ranieri mentioned wildlife patrol is a crucial process on the airport.
“It has improved our wildlife control program so much over the years since Hercules has joined us, we know it’s effective, we know that it works for the different species we face here on our fields,” she mentioned.
She mentioned the wildlife patrol canine permits for the plane to land safely and with out interruptions.
Ranieri mentioned CRW will introduce the soon-to-be Wildlife Patrol Dog to the group quickly after he will get acclimated on the airport.
