According to an article in the Jerusalem Post, the Israel Airport Authority (which declined comment) has implemented a policy of sending suspicious animals through X-ray machines to confirm that bombs have not been hidden inside their bodies by terrorists. When you note that effective terrorist threat mitigation requires keeping ahead of terrorist methods, it doesn’t sound as silly. There have been numerous instances of using animals (dogs, donkeys) and recently humans to conceal bombs (Abdullah Asieri carried a pound of explosive plus detonator in his rectum in a failed attempt to assassinate a Saudi Prince).
Intelligent screening always takes into account threat based on terrorist MOs, and if the passenger – and in this case their furry four legged traveling companion – are suspicious vis a vis a given MO. I’m pretty sure that no screener at Ben Gurion would engage your pet in questioning about the nature of his trip (“Fido, did you keep your water bowl in view at all times?” Not because of the language barrier, but because like anything else, not every pet is threatening. Likewise, not every pet is built for a bomb. Too small to artfully conceal a bomb, the diminutive Chihuahua is probably safe from xray screening altogether. On the other hand, if Richard Reid had been carrying a poodle, that poodle would be scrutinized, along with the rest of Reid’s possessions.
