AMSTERDAM — Warning: After seeing this achingly adorable video of KLM’s newest employee in action you might be tempted to leave your gadgets behind on your next flight into Amsterdam.
Meet Sherlock, the appropriately named beagle tasked by the Royal Dutch Airlines with returning items forgotten on planes by passengers flying into Schiphol Amsterdam Airport.
“We train for muscle strength, endurance and, of course, socialization,” says Dirk Van Driel, Sherlock’s trainer.
“When you see the reactions of the passengers, that really is amazing.”
Judging by the collective “awww” that rings out through the arrivals hall as Sherlock uses his remarkable sniffing powers to track down the owner of a forgotten iPhone, the dog is a hit.
“He can really do something no one else can”
KLM says Sherlock is part of a new lost and found team put together in response to the high number of queries about forgotten items the airline receives through social media.
Should the incredibly eager beagle not be around to help, the airline uses information such as seat numbers, phone numbers and public social media details to reunite passengers with their belongings.
“Personally, I think he’s a real asset to the company,” says Chantel Kremer of KLM’s ground crew.
“And he can really do something no one else can.”
Prized for their phenomenal sense of smell and ability to categorize scents, beagles are a familiar site in airports around the world.
Perhaps the most famous is the Beagle Brigade — made up of teams of dogs that inspect luggage for restricted agriculture at U.S. airports.
What makes Sherlock stand out is that his presence doesn’t bring the sense of unease some travelers may feel when one of these little guys starts snooping around their luggage for contraband produce.
