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PORT ANGELES — Wiley the dog may not be much of a reader, but he has taken to heart the words of 19th century Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle: “Blessed is he who has found his work; let him ask no other blessedness.”‘
At the age of “about 4,” the black and white border collie has found his life’s calling.
Wiley was born to annoy the hell out of birds.
While it might not seem like much of a vocation, for the U.S. Coast Guard it’s serious business.
The ducks, geese, seagulls and other birds that populate Port Angeles Harbor can be a serious problem for helicopters flying out of the Coast Guard station at the tip of Ediz Hook.
“They can potentially cause quite a bit of damage,” said Chief Petty Officer Howard Sanders.
“They can hit the main rotor blade, they can come through the main windshield and hit the pilot. All kinds of things can happen.”
This full report appears in today’s Peninsula Daily News, on sale throughout Clallam and Jefferson counties. Or click onto “Subscribe” at left to order your copy via U.S. mail.