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Ah, Lulu, we hardly knew you. Or at least the CIA, which tried to train you to sniff out bombs, hardly knew you.
The internet, however, fell in love with the sweet black Labrador — thanks to an uncharacteristically sentimental dispatch from the CIA’s official Twitter account about how the canine trainee was excused from her explosives-detection education because she just wasn’t that into ferreting out potential bombs.
#CIAK9 Pupdate:
— CIA (@CIA) October 18, 2017
Sometimes, even after testing, our pups make it clear being an explosive detection K9 isn’t for themhttps://t.co/nPZl6YWNKb pic.twitter.com/07TXRCH7bp
The thread detailed Lulu’s emerging disinterest in her training — though it left out how intense and grueling the training and subsequent work life of a bomb-sniffing dog can be.
Lulu wasn’t interested in searching for explosives.
— CIA (@CIA) October 18, 2017
Even when motivated w food & play, she was clearly no longer enjoying herself. pic.twitter.com/puvhDk1tRX
In the end, Lulu was retired from the training program and adopted by her handler — now she also gets to spend lots of time hanging out with her handler’s new trainee, Harry. Here’s Harry:
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While the CIA was happy to let Lulu go, many observers following the story on Twitter had a harder time.
maybe Lulu wants to become an artist, travel the world or something else. @dog_rates rate this doggo for chasing her dreams.
— Rapha Lazar (@raphaellazar) October 18, 2017
Lulu wants socialism and the end of the carceral state https://t.co/Vbtqk9Awrc
— Tressie Mc (@tressiemcphd) October 19, 2017
— darth:™ (@darth) October 19, 2017
There were songs. The Department of Defense wished Lulu well. Lots of people offered to adopt her.
Many also expressed relief that Lulu had managed to escape a life spent serving in one of the nation’s most secretive and controversial agencies, given the CIA’s history of torturing prisoners, overthrowing governments, and training and arming guerrilla armies:
Good dog! Now Lulu gets to play instead of being an unwitting warrior in a senseless drug war that imprisons Americans for profit & greed. pic.twitter.com/CN2BlP6zCV
— #neCROMancy #M4A (@BernieUpstateNY) October 19, 2017
Lulu was having qualms about being a pawn of the fascist security state.
— Witch's Stew (@voicehaver) October 18, 2017
She was pondering how to bring about the dissolution of the CIA. https://t.co/P0FTvdpsXF
tearing up at the bus stop cause Lulu didn't want to be a cop she just wanted to be a dog https://t.co/EudtYA73hE
— caterpillar boos (@joshtweetin) October 19, 2017
Lulu didn’t want that damn job and I am hollering. https://t.co/afzWKlDwkR
— Kris (@BELLEionaire) October 19, 2017
Despite the CIA’s critics, though, Lulu seems to have united people on at least one point: She’s a very, very good dog.