In Remembrance of Airport K9 Piper

On January 3rd, 2018, our friends at Cherry Capital Airport sadly said goodbye to K9 Piper after a long battle with cancer. Piper was a 9-year-old Border Collie who became one of the internet’s most recognizable dogs.

With a coat as shiny as his eyes, Piper was both visually striking and easily lovable. His main job was to keep the runway clear at Cherry Capital Airport of a variety of wildlife that could potentially get sucked into a plane’s engines when taking off and landing. Throughout the years, we had the amazing opportunity to follow Piper and his handler, Brian Edwards, journey down the path of life. We weren’t the only ones who loved seeing the duo either. Look to their Instagram page; over +105,000 followers and counting!

I think nothing sums up this bond better than Piper’s official send-off by Brian himself. It’s a beautiful reminder to love the ones you’re with and to appreciate every moment we have together.

“It is with the ultimate sadness I must report the passing of my best friend and love of my life...Piper passed away tonight peacefully in my arms after fighting a year-long battle with prostate cancer. He fought valiantly, and we did everything we could, but sometimes life just has to take its course.

Today, Piper enjoyed a pain-free day, filled with love from family and friends, mostly his fellow airport employees. He played soccer, got some much-deserved butt scratches and yes, he chased away one last snowy owl as he sailed into the night.

As I hope was plainly evident, we are grateful. Grateful to have done what we loved for three years and had a whole hell of a lot of fun doing it. Mostly though, we're grateful for all of your support. It's what's really helped us through the dark days.

Lastly, as a final act of true class, the flag you see here draped over Piper’s body flew today at USCG Air Station Traverse City and was taken down, folded, and presented to us as a token of their love. Please join me in thanking the men and women, past and present, of Air Station Traverse City for their awesomeness. Piper and I are forever in your debt.”