FORT WORTH, Texas — What we can't see from the human eye, Buzzy can likely smell.
"We call him Buzz for short," said his handler, Scott Allen. He's with the Fort Worth Fire Department's arson and bomb unit.
In 2019, Buzz and Allen became a team. They are only one of two ATF canine-handler teams in North Texas, the other being in Lewisville.
ATF stands for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. There are 64 ATF canines across the country. This means Buzz and Allen serve all of North Texas and even worldwide when the call comes.
This week, Buzz, Allen and the Fort Worth Fire Department are hosting all 64 canines and their handlers for an annual event at the Bob Bolen Safety Complex. It’s the ATF Accelerant Detection Canine Recertification for 2023.
"I had the privilege to host this year," said Allen.
He's proud to bring the city of Fort Worth to the spotlight and highlight the work that he and Buzz have done.
"He's helped tremendously in so many fires already, and I look forward to seeing what he does in the future to help us solve cases and put people away that do bad things," said Allen.
When Buzz is off-duty, he's a playful and sweet 5-year-old dog who carries a stuffed plush of Woody from Toy Story. But the moment Allen straps on his food pouch, Buzz is ready to work.
All ATF canines are Labrador Retrievers. They specialize in sniffing out ignitable liquids.
In a matter of seconds, Buzz can find a drop of gas smaller than the size of a dime. The pair serves Fort Worth and beyond, wherever the job takes them.