The moment a guide dog looked delighted to receive a pat-down while going through TSA has gone viral and touched the hearts of many TikTok users.
Paul Castle, who is blind, and his partner Matthew were traveling over the holidays and like a record number of Americans, were screened at TSA before their flight. As Castle has a guide dog, named Mr. Maple, there are a few extra steps for the couple when catching flights.
The pair shared a sweet video of their recent travels, showing Mr. Maple getting called for a pat down by a TSA agent, seemingly delighted at the interaction he got to have with the airport worker.
“When I approached the TSA checkpoint with Mr. Maple, I knew exactly what to expect,” Castle told Newsweek. “After I walk through the metal detector, I call him through, and because his guide dog harness contains metal parts, it always sets off the alarm.
“This leads to a gentle pat down by a TSA agent, who checks inside the harness to ensure there’s nothing hidden. It’s a completely routine step that I was trained to handle during my intensive two-week course at Guide Dogs for the Blind in 2021. I’ve done this numerous times since traveling with Mr. Maple, and he absolutely adores the extra attention—his tail never stops wagging!”
The video, which has received 16.8 million views since it was first shared on December 9, shows Castle calling Mr. Maple through the security screening machine, with the dog then going over to the TSA agent for his pat down.
As the TSA agent leans down, Mr. Maple is clearly excited as his tail starts to wag and he starts to sniff the staff member. “Not gonna lie, Mr. Maple loves a pat down!” the couple wrote in the caption of the video.
Castle told Newsweek: “For me, traveling with Mr. Maple makes navigating the airport incredibly smooth. Before I had him, I traveled with a white cane and would frequently bump into people rushing past me—even experiencing instances where hurried travelers actually kicked my cane out of the way. With Mr. Maple, that’s no longer an issue.
“He’s trained to weave effortlessly through the crowded terminals, making it an enjoyable experience rather than a stressful one. We learned all these skills during our specialized training in Oregon, including how to go through security and get settled on the plane. Now, it’s second nature to us. The TSA pat down is predictable, straightforward, and quick.”
A study by the University of Nottingham revealed that 40 percent of people traveled more after getting their guide dog.
People shared their reactions to Mr. Maple’s TSA experience in the comments section of the video.
“Mr. Maple is trying to look suspicious so he gets more pats,” TikTok user HiQuokka joked.
Fragilistics commented: “I love how this is basically code for ‘we must pet the good boy, sorry sir it’s law.’”
“I feel like they just wanted a reason to pet him,” said Bams.
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