Chennai, Sep 30 (IANS): Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials of the Chennai airport bid a red carpet farewell to their sniffer dog Ceaser who retired from service on Monday.

The nine-year-old Caesar was given a customary farewell at the CISF headquarters in Pazhavanthangal.

Ceaser is a Labrador dog and was in the service all through his life as a trained sniffer dog with the CISF. During the retirement ceremony, he was felicitated with medals, garlands and a cake-cutting ceremony.

The CISF which mans the security of airports has 10 trained sniffer dogs at Chennai airport. These dogs are trained to detect explosives, narcotics and concealed weapons. They are also used to provide security to the VIPs who pass through the airport including ministers, diplomats and other senior officials.

Ceaser, who had served the industrial security force all these years, was escorted out in a decorated open-top vehicle with the DIG of CISF Arun Singh and Chennai Airport Director, Deepak bidding him farewell along with senior officials of the CISF and the Chennai International Airport authority.

The CISF Chennai airport also welcomed a 9-month-old British breed Labrador, Yazhini, a trained sniffer dog into the service during the same event.

The new sniffer dog has undergone extensive training at the CISF training centre in Ranchi, Jharkhand for a period of six months before being inducted into the service.

Ceaser and Yazhini were fed with cakes after which Ceaser was laid out on a red carpet and then mounted on the open decorated vehicle.

CISF officials who were handling the sniffer dog were in tears and CISF DIG Arun Singh told media persons that Ceaser played a commendable role in maintaining the security of the Chennai airport.

Ceaser will now be at the CISF headquarters in Ranchi and the force announced that Ceaser can be adopted by any dog lover after due procedures.