K9 Moby among three ATF canines guarding FIFA matches in Seattle
SEATTLE — On Wednesday morning, as soccer fans packed the streets around Seattle Stadium, chanting and dancing ahead of another FIFA match, a specially trained ATF canine named “Moby” was working behind the scenes to help keep them safe, sniffing out explosives, firearms and shell casings before threats can materialize.
Moby, a 7-year-old dog with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), is one of three dogs assigned to protect the major soccer event. He works alongside a special agent canine handler, whose identity is being withheld because of the nature of the job.
“Once he turns on, he’s got one drive and one goal,” the handler said of Moby.
The handler said the dog’s sense of smell drives his work.
“He lives his life through his nose, so he is just checking everything,” the handler said.
Moby and his handler are part of a broader law enforcement operation that runs security for every match day.
“We have a bomb technician and some certified explosive specialists. We all work together,” the handler said.
The team’s responsibilities extend well beyond the stadium itself.
“Because we have practice venues, watch party venues, game venues, all of those things that need to be covered,” the handler said.
Moby’s work takes him from bustling crowds outside Seattle Stadium to quiet parking lots, a range of environments he’s prepared for through rigorous training.
During training drills on Wednesday, Moby worked off leash, guided by hand signals or whistle stops. Food serves as Moby’s reward for his work.
Over the years, Moby has helped locate an armed robber’s hidden gun, tracked down a murder weapon, and located a firearm tied to a shooting, according to the handler.
Moby’s story began in a prison in upstate New York, where he was part of the Puppies Behind Bars program.
“He was actually born in a prison in upstate New York. The prisoners that qualify for it get to help raise dogs that will be used in a variety of things,” the handler said.
ATF selected Moby from that program and put him through elite training to detect explosives, firearms and shell casings. Detection work appears to run in his family.