They may never become as famous as Laika, the first dog in space, nor as feared as police K-9s, but these two border collies are quietly saving lives and preventing anxiety attacks in airports and on planes.
Hercules and Ned, are the real-world canine antidote to Angry Birds, protecting West Virginia International Yeager Airport in the United States by keeping flocks from launching themselves at planes, all while wearing their unofficial therapist caps.
Following a series of deadly incidents, airports across the United States have increased their collaboration with wildlife management teams. Chris Keyser, the dogs’ handler and the airport’s wildlife specialist, says their presence is essential as ‘preventing a bird from hitting a plane can make a difference to someone’s life’.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) database, in 2023 alone, about 19,000 incidents involving planes and wildlife were recorded, 95% of which included birds. Between 1988 and 2023, such collisions killed 76 people and destroyed 126 aircraft.
The most infamous accident occurred in 2009, when a US Airways flight from LaGuardia Airport collided with a flock of Canada geese, disabling both engines. Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger then managed to land the plane safely on the Hudson River, saving all 155 people on board. This feat was immortalised in the Hollywood blockbuster Sully, starring Tom Hanks.
Located atop a mountain and surrounded by wildlife, West Virginia International Yeager Airport experiences anywhere from a few to several dozen wildlife collisions each year. In 2022 alone, there were five incidents involving bats. In December 2020, a plane collided with two deer shortly after landing. The impact caused the propeller of one of the engines to detach and puncture the fuselage, seriously injuring a passenger.
The region is home to Canada geese, hawks, ducks, songbirds and bats. After it rains, worms rise to the surface, drawing in flocks of birds. These sudden swarms pose a serious risk to aircraft during take-off and landing.
Enter Hercules and Ned. These Border Collies are known for their intelligence and abundant energy. They have long been used to chase Canada geese away from golf courses, military bases and dams. Unlike other deterrents, however, they do not harm the animals; they simply herd them away.
Keyser walks the dogs across the airfield multiple times a day. ‘You don’t gain no weight in this job,’ he jokes. It’s an all-day job. You’re always got your eyes on the field, you’ve got your ears open listening to the radio.’
Now aged 8, Hercules was ‘deployed’ in 2018 and has since become something of a TikTok celebrity. He even has his own Instagram and TikTok accounts. He also regularly guides visiting schoolchildren.
Rebecca Gibson, owner of Flyaway Geese, the wildlife management company contracted by the airport, remembers Hercules’s first day at Charleston’s airfield: ‘I held my breath. But boy, he took hold of the reins’.
Ned, who joined the team in 2023, was previously trained to herd goats and quickly adapted to his new role. Though both dogs are energetic, they know better than to run onto the tarmac.
West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston is now home to a second wildlife patrol dog 🐾
— Charleston Gazette-Mail (@wvgazettemail) May 2, 2025
Ned, a three-year-old border collie, will join another wildlife patrol dog, Hercules, in helping to keep birds and small animals away from the runways.
Read the full story… pic.twitter.com/tdRWbcaKva
When they’re not out chasing birds, they roam the terminals, offering comfort to anxious travellers. In one recent encounter, Hercules approached Janet Spry, who was nervous about flying and grieving the loss of her cat. As he gently placed a paw on her arm, she said, ‘he’s making my day better’.
Hercules, usually laid-back, starts barking with excitement the moment it’s time to clock in and head out on patrol. Ned, the younger of the two, never truly switches off, always alert, always ready to work.
