Public asked to vote for ORD’s Badger in TSA’s 2024 Cutest Canine contest

Local Press Release

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

CHICAGO - Voting is open in the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) 2024 Cutest Canine contest, and Badger, a six-year-old Belgian Malinois who works at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), is one of four finalists in this year's contest.

The public is invited to help the agency select which of its working canines is most deserving of the title. All voting is being conducted via TSA's social media platforms including Instagram, X(formerly Twitter), and Facebookaccounts. You can vote via Twitter Poll, Facebook Stories and Instagram Stories. Badger will be competing in Round One of voting, which is open now. Voting for Badger will be open until Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m. CT. If he advances, the public can vote for him again in the final round of online voting starting Wednesday, Aug. 21.

TSA will announce the contest winner on Monday, Aug. 26.

Badger is a fun-loving, hardworking pup who loves salmon bites and chasing his foam ball. He has been partnered with TSA canine handler Herb at ORD for five years.

TSA utilizes canines like Badger in its security operations nationwide. They are trained to detect the scent of explosives or explosive materials. These highly-skilled dogs are paired with handlers and utilize their keen sense of smell when working in a busy transportation environment.

Canines are a visible layer of security and they supplement TSA's efforts to keep travelers safe and secure. In addition to working in aviation environment, they are also trained to work in mass transit, commuter rail and maritime venues. TSA currently has more than 1,000 explosives detection canine teams deployed nationwide.

In addition to ORD's Badger, the other finalists are Barni, a German Shorthaired Pointer from San Francisco International Airport (SFO); Carlo, a Vizsla from Kansas City International Airport (MCI); and Birdie, a yellow lab mix from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE).

Below are the direct links to TSA's social media accounts where votes can be cast. Don't delay, "paws" what you are doing and vote for Badger today!

• On Instagram: www.instagram.com/tsa

• On X: www.x.com/TSA

• On Facebook: www.facebook.com/tsa