A TOURIST who kicked a sniffer dog “so hard it flew into the air” at a US airport has been deported after being charged a hefty fine.
Freddie, a five-year-old beagle, was booted at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia after he detected a suspicious suitcase.
Freddie the beagle was kicked so hard ‘he flew into the air’[/caption]
Customs officer with Freddie at the Virginia airport[/caption]
The dog was rushed to the emergency vet[/caption]
Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie had flown into the US from Cairo, Egypt and was waiting at baggage claim on Tuesday when his suitcase was flagged by the pooch.
After talking to a US customs officer, he kicked the helpless dog “so hard that he was lifted off of the ground,” a federal complaint said.
Freddie, who works with US customs officials to sniff out smuggled goods, was rushed to the vet where he was treated for bruises to his right rib.
Hamed pleaded guilty to the assault on Wednesday and was made to pay $840 (£611) for the bill before being sent back to Egypt the following day.
A raid on the man’s bag uncovered a slew of banned agricultural products including 25kg of beef meat and 20kg of rice.
Some 7kg of auberine, cucumbers, and bell peppers, 1kg of corn seeds, and some herbs were also found.
Many agricultural products are banned or restricted from entering the US due to concern about pests and diseases.
Though these restrictions vary from country to country, commonly prohibited items include meats, fresh fruit and veg, and other animal or plant made products.
Christine Waugh, a senior customs and border protection officer, condemned the man’s actions, calling his violent outburst unjustified.
She told The Telegraph that being caught with the food did not mean he could “violently assault a defenceless beagle”.
Customs official “rely heavily” on their canine partners and Freddie “was just doing his job”, she said.
“Any malicious attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. CBP will continue to work with our investigating and prosecuting partners to deal swift and sever justice to perpetrators,” she added.
Customs and Border Patrol said: “CBP’s Beagles Brigade plays a vital role in screening passengers and cargo to prevent the introduction of harmful plant pests and foreign animal disease from entering the U.S.
“Animal and plant diseases and invasive pests and weeds have cost nations millions to billions of dollars in eradication measures and lost revenues.”
This comes just days after a dutiful pup was caught squaring up to a bear after it broke into a Californian home.
Footage shows the 17-year-old dog named Doodle watch the beast smash through the door before trying to fend it off with his barks.
All this while the dog’s owner, Zoe Cadman, lay fast asleep.
The nail-biting moment, which saw the hairy intruder roam around the house for almost half an hour, was caught on Zoe’s home security cam.
Unprovoked, the bear is then seen wandering over to the fridge and raid its contents before making its way out – leaving both Zoe and Doodle unscathed.
Fit with a massive collar, it’s not clear whether the bear was being monitored or if it belonged to anyone.
But neighbors suggest the enormous creature is a frequent visitor.
One local told NBC Los Angeles: “It’s part of living up here. We’re really close to the mountains and they were here first.
“But luckily, knock on wood, they’ve all been really friendly coming through here.”
