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Heroes with Paws
West Virginia ’ s Service Dogs
Hercules
SAMANTHA CART
When West Virginians think about frontline heroes — those fighting for our physical , mental and emotional well-being and keeping us safe from all types of harm — most minds immediately jump to thoughts of the brave men and women serving our state . However , what some Mountaineers may not realize is that not all the state ’ s heroes are human — some have paws . From West Virginia International Yeager Airport ’ s wildlife patrol dog to the Huntington Police Department ’ s K-9 Unit , these furry , four-legged fighters are making the Mountain State a safer , happier and healthier place to live .
West Virginia International Yeager Airport ’ s Wildlife Patrol Dog
As travelers well know , West Virginia International Yeager Airport ( CRW ) sits on top of a mountain , which means many birds and wildlife are part of the natural landscape . Keeping wildlife off the runway is crucial as planes land and take off , which is where Hercules , CRW ’ s wildlife patrol dog , comes in . His job is to prevent bird strikes in order to keep passengers and military members safe .
“ Hercules is one of our airport ’ s greatest assets ,” says Paige Withrow , CRW ’ s marketing manager . “ He spends most of the day out on the runway chasing off birds . Some of these birds , like starlings and killdeer , begin to see Hercules as a predator , which causes them to stop coming to the airfield to eat . So far , he has reduced our wildlife population by 75 %. That percentage is priceless when it comes to the safety of our passengers .”
Hercules is a border collie originally from Fly Away Geese , a wildlife nuisance management company in North Carolina . While he is now five years old , he began his training when he was only a few weeks old .
“ Fly Away Geese specifically trains dogs to chase birds away from properties ,” says Withrow . “ Their model offers
humane , PETA-approved solutions to a specific environmental niche . Hercules learned a range of verbal and whistle commands during training , which his handler , Chris Keyser , uses daily .”
Because the airport is operational 24 hours a day , Hercules is always there . However , he is never alone and never caged . When Keyser goes home , Hercules spends time in the Airport Response Coordination Center ( ARCC ), where he has befriended a range of operations specialists .
“ He has a lot of toys , clothes , gear and , most importantly , several soft beds throughout the ARCC ,” says Withrow . “ His favorite place to sleep is under the main ARCC desk , right at the feet of his friends .”
While Hercules spends most of his time working in the field , he also acts as a comfort animal , helping nervous passengers feel more at ease before they travel .
“ The ease our passengers have knowing Hercules is keeping the runway free of birds and preventing potentially dangerous bird strikes makes the airport safer and more successful ,” says Withrow . “ A flock of birds or sometimes just one bird can take a plane down . When a bird is ingested into the engine of an aircraft , it does a lot of damage . If the aircraft is in flight , it can bring down the plane . Our passenger safety is paramount and our priority .”
CRW staff often joke that Hercules is the favorite employee with the best job , and as such , his health and wellness is top priority . He meets with his vet often for checkups .
“ Hercules is a working dog , and he works hard . He runs between three and five miles a day , which can be a lot on a dog . When Hercules retires in a few years , he will go live happily with Chris , where he will spend the rest of his life as a house dog who will be able to run throughout the woods and go on fishing or camping trips ,” Withrow says .
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