PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Transportation Security Administration is seeing an uptick in small pets left in passengers' carry-on bags while sending them through airport X-ray machines.
TSA officers are discovering more and more X-ray images of small pets zipped into carry-on bags and inside of the animals’ carrying cases appearing on their screens.
"We do see lots of dogs. We see lots of cats,” said TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.
“Recently somebody tried to bring a boa constrictor in their carry-on bag. When we spotted that in the X-ray machine, I can tell you the airline wanted nothing to do with that, and that boa was not allowed to fly. We recently saw a little dog that went through an X-ray machine in Harrisburg. We saw a frog that was in a checked bag and hopped out."
The TSA says travelers should remove pets from carriers at the security checkpoint and send the carrier into the X-ray machine.
“We are just making sure there is nothing prohibited in that travel carrier,” said Farbstein. “You walk through the metal detector, and the TSA officer will swab your hands while you are holding your pet. We are just swabbing for any traces of explosives."
Some airports allow leashed dogs to walk through metal detectors with their owners.
The TSA says travelers who have pets should request a private screening room if their pets may be skittish and could run away when removed from a pet carrier.