Beloved TSA K-9 ‘Panka’ retires from Chicago O’Hare Airport after 6 years of service and receives a special farewell parade

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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At O’Hare Airport, there are 18 TSA K-9 teams that are essential for identifying explosives during the security screening process for passengers.

During a recent demonstration, a TSA handler disguised himself as a regular passenger at O’Hare airport, carrying the scent of an explosive to test the K-9 unit’s response. The trained dog successfully detected the decoy and alerted its handlers.

Panka, an 8-year-old German short-haired pointer, received praises and rewards from TSA officers, including showering her with tennis balls and giving her a basket full of treats as a token of appreciation for her successful detection.

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.

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.