Selected guidelines from the Transportation Security Administration on the handling of monkey helpers at security checkpoints.
Monkey Helpers
- When the handler and monkey go through the WTMD and the WTMD alarms, both the handler and the monkey must undergo additional screening.
- Since monkeys may likely draw attention, the handler will be escorted to the physical inspection area where a table is available for the monkey to sit on. Only the handler will touch or interact with the monkey.
- TSOs have been trained to not touch the monkey during the screening process.
- The inspection process may require that the handler take off the monkey’s diaper as part of the visual inspection.
apparently, this was on boingboing, but I learned of it only in conversation related to air travel last week. I could hardly believe that helper monkeys existed, let alone that they posed such security risks!
related: A story on All Things Considered about a real retired helper monkey [npr]
