Airport security

Bomb-sniffing dogs help speed up airport security lines

The use of bomb sniffing dogs by local, state, and federal law enforcement, as well as private institutions like universities, has steadily increased after the 9/11 attacks.

There are currently about 1,000 sniffing around U.S. transportation hubs. The K9s are specially selected, trained for nearly a year, and then serve for about eight years. But as demand around the world has increased, U.S. law enforcement has seen the market for available dogs tighten.

Doctor Cindy Otto runs the University of Pennsylvania's Working Dog Center.

"It really makes me concerned," said Dr. Otto. "I think we really have an obligation to the public to keep us safe, and the dogs we know are the most effective screening tool for explosives."