Four floppy-eared beagle puppies are ready to take their first steps towards becoming biosecurity detector dogs.
The 8-week-olds were on show today at the Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI) breeding centre, where they have been introduced to training exercises by handlers.
MPI staff were forced to hand-rear the puppies after their mum, Utah, passed away from cancer after the births.
"That made the process a little trickier for us," says detector dog advisor, Allan Willox. "If they're naughty, Mum would normally have sorted them out pretty quick".
Luckily they have all been very well-behaved, Mr Willox says.
Attending the event was the Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy, who cuddled the dogs and commended the centre's work.
"Biosecurity is my number one priority; it's hugely important for our trading nation […] these dogs and the staff do a fantastic job," he said.
Dogs are able to detect materials that can be missed by x-ray screening, such as some seeds and plant materials. They also screen faster, and staff say their visual presence can be a significant deterrent factor.
New Zealand-trained dogs are highly sought after by other overseas agencies such as Australia, Argentina, Canada, Hawaii and Korea.
"Beagles are excellent hunter dogs with great noses, and they're very easy to manage in kennels," says Mr Willox.
The beagle puppies will soon be placed with volunteer families throughout Auckland, where they will get used to the outside world.
Breeding and kennel manager, Kirsty Ansell, says the families must be "carefully selected".
"There is an interview process, home inspections and their progress is regularly assessed," she says.
After twelve months with a foster family, the dogs then return to the biosecurity centre, where they will receive approximately 15 – 17 weeks of training. This involves learning to recognise a variety of scents and being put through special exercises.
They are kept on a strict, biscuit-based diet, which Ms Ansell say makes them more effective workers.
"Food is the only reason they work…. It's how they get paid".
The puppies are then paired with a trainer, who generally stays with them for their whole career.
Minister Nathan Guy was given the honour of naming one puppy from the "C litter" – he decided on "Clara", which he selected from a list of names beginning with C.
He says he is "looking forward to following Clara’s progress as she helps to guard our border from unwanted pests and diseases".
As well as new dogs, the ministry has also hired 30 new quarantine inspectors to work on the frontline as they continue to extend the programme.
They will begin in mid-August after extensive training.
3 News
source: newshub archive
