MANILA, Philippines—Wanted: Drug- and bomb-sniffing pooches.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is accepting canine donations for its “undermanned” K9 unit.
Dog recruits are not limited to foreign police dog breeds like German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Springer Spaniels, Bloodhounds and Beagles.
Aspins (asong Pinoy) or local breeds are also welcome, said Adm. Wilfredo Tamayo, PCG commandant.
“As long as they meet stringent standards that are required of K9 unit recruits,” Tamayo told the Inquirer.
Of the 114 working dogs in the PCG inventory, only 72 are on “active duty,” assigned to the agency’s 29 K9 attachments nationwide.
“They’re deployed in the country’s busy ports and premier tourist destinations. They’re part of the command’s integrated maritime security system, which also includes CCTVs, X-ray and walk-through machines, vapor tracer analyzers and sea marshals,” he said.
Dog IDs, badges
Unlike many of their foreign counterparts, the PCG’s working dogs have yet to be outfitted with bullet-proof vests, if not issued official badges and IDs.
But “it doesn’t mean they are not important. In fact, we consider our K9 unit one of our assets,” Tamayo said.
He credited nine of their working dogs and their handlers for last week’s seizure of P150 million worth of cocaine in Eastern Samar.
“Our operatives have joined police teams in scouring the coastal towns in that province for a still unaccounted 1.5 tons of cocaine reportedly dumped off the coast sometime in December by an unidentified Chinese vessel,” he said.
K9 accomplishments
Other notable accomplishments of the PCG K9 included the recent confiscation of explosive devices at the Batangas City port and aboard a Ro-Ro vessel in Lucena City; assorted firearms, also in Batangas; and illegal drugs in Boracay, Aklan; and at the Eva Macapagal Terminal in Manila.
Tamayo said they “need more K9s to help secure our ports and terminals, areas that are vulnerable to the illegal traffic of drugs, as well as explosives.”
According to the PCG chief, the command needs “at least 150 explosive-detecting dogs and 50 drug-sniffing dogs.”
Tamayo said the PCG team of K9 handlers were “multiskilled ... They are not only lifesavers and search-and-rescue specialists. They are also sea marshals, environmentalists and lighthouse keepers.”
“Being well-rounded, they are able to meet our K9 mission demands with a reasonable degree of success,” he said.
Get your animal welfare news fix here. Dog meat trade must end. Dog rescue is a must. Animal cruelty is wicked.
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Get your animal welfare news fix here.
Dog meat trade must end.
Dog rescue is a must.
Animal cruelty is wicked.