Fla. airport using dog to stop collisions

FORT MYERS, Fla., Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Southwest Florida International Airport is using a dog named Radar to prevent collisions between birds and airplanes, a report said.

By having the 9-year-old border collie monitor its runway and airfield, the Florida airport has become a leader in collision prevention, the Naples (Fla.) Daily News reported Sunday.

Radar's handler, Rebecca Stansifer, said that while birds in the area can eventually adjust to the typical sounds associated with airports, the sound of a dog barking is a natural deterrent.

"She is the one thing that the birds never get used to,'' Stansifer said. "They respond every time.''

''To a bird, an airplane doesn't register. But a dog to them is like a predator."

The airport's use of Radar to clear the local airspace of birds reflects a new trend in air safety, the Daily News reported.

The newspaper said the U.S. Air Force also uses dogs to secure its airspace, while other airports have begun propane cannons or fake owls to scare away local bird populations.