Dogs Protect House From Airplanes

Long Beach Dog Acts as Lookout for Air Traffic

PETS HAVE 100% SUCCESS RATE.

LONG BEACH, CA -If you live near the Long Beach Airport then you know how dangerous it can be with all the airplanes, police helicopters and blimps flying overhead. One homeowner in East Long Beach, however, feels quite safe even though her house is directly under the landing flight path.

Susan Velasquez, 38, has four dogs who have dedicated themselves to protecting her property. “Every time a plane, helicopter or blimp flies overhead, those dogs run back and forth in the backyard, barking their heads off,” she said. “They’ve taken it upon themselves to ensure that no unauthorized landings are made here.”

Velasquez says her dogs required no special training for their patrol activities. “They just started barking all by themselves. They began with the small planes, then noticed that some of the planes had banners attached. Of course, that required additional protection because the banner planes fly over twice – once to release the banner, and again to land.”

The homeowner noted that blimps require special attention. “Those blimps are so slow,” she said, “and it takes a lot of barking to make them go away. The dogs just keep at it until they can’t see or hear the blimp anymore.”

Velasquez is quick to point out that her dogs have been very effective. “We’ve never had an airplane, helicopter or blimp land in our yard,” she reported. “Not many people can say they’ve had a 100% success rate at anything.”

Officials at the Goodyear Tire Company declined to comment for this story.