DULLES, VA — A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture detector dog that was kicked so hard he was sent airborne by an international traveler at Washington Dulles International Airport has fully returned to work, reaching another milestone one year after the assault.
Freddie, a 6-year-old beagle assigned to CBP at Dulles, recently recorded his 200th agriculture detection referral during June after alerting officers to prohibited agricultural and wildlife items in a traveler's luggage, according to CBP.
The milestone comes about a year after Freddie was seriously injured while inspecting baggage at Dulles. On June 26, 2025, Freddie alerted to agricultural products inside the checked luggage of a 70-year-old Egyptian traveler. According to CBP, the traveler responded by kicking the dog in the ribs with enough force to send him airborne.
Freddie spent two weeks recovering before returning to duty.
The traveler later pleaded guilty to harming an animal used in law enforcement and was deported from the United States, Patch previously reported.
On Tuesday, Freddie alerted to the baggage of a U.S. citizen returning from Nigeria. During a secondary inspection, CBP agriculture specialists discovered nine bags of Jequirity bean seeds weighing just over a half-pound and 170 red tail feathers from African gray parrots.
CBP confiscated the prohibited seeds, detained the feathers and released the traveler. The feathers will be turned over to inspectors with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Jequirity bean, also known as rosary pea, contains seeds with toxic levels of abrin, a highly poisonous substance. While the seeds are used in some cultures for prayer beads, jewelry and spiritual rituals, the plants and seeds are prohibited or tightly regulated in the United States because of their toxicity, CBP said.
The African gray parrot is an endangered species protected under international wildlife trade agreements. Its distinctive red tail feathers are sometimes used in ceremonial items, jewelry and masks.
CBP officials said Freddie's recovery and continued work highlight the role detector dogs play in protecting American agriculture from invasive pests, animal diseases and prohibited products.
"Freddie is resilient. What occurred a year ago was despicable, and pained him greatly, but it hasn’t stopped him from continuing his vital role alongside all of our Customs and Border Protection agriculture detector dogs in protecting our nation’s agricultural resources and economic security," Christine Waugh, CBP's Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C., said in a statement.
Agriculture detector dogs inspect international travelers arriving in the United States for prohibited fruits, vegetables, meat products and other items that could introduce pests or diseases. CBP says agriculture specialists nationwide confiscated an average of 4,691 prohibited agricultural items and intercepted 222 insect pests each day last year.
Also See ...
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Reston, VA Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.