K-9 units impress young students at school fair
Customs K-9 handler Anthony Echenique rewards Nugget with some play time
(CNS): Sniffer dogs from the departments of customs and agriculture put on a show along with their handlers at the Prospect Primary School Careers Fair held Friday, 20 May 2016. Customs K-9 unit’s Labrador retriever, Nugget, and Belgian Malinois, Bolt, demonstrated how they detect contraband, from drugs to guns, at all entry points into the Cayman Islands.
During a demonstration on the school grounds, unit chief Malachi Powery, and officers Anthony Echenique and Tate McFarlane, put the canines to work finding drugs they had hidden. The dogs promptly demonstrated just how good their noses are, to the approval of the young audience.
Bolt also displayed his ability, on cue, to chase and pin down suspected criminals until other officers arrive on the scene.
Meanwhile, inside the hall, the agriculture department’s Myah, a six-year-old beagle, demonstrated her skill at picking up the scent of produce such as fruits and vegetables hidden inside suitcases and other luggage.
Agriculture inspector and K-9 handler Sharon Davis, with the aid of laboratory assistant Noel Smith, explained to Prospect and visiting Red Bay Primary students how Myah usually “checks” baggage at the airport, and alerts if raw produce is entering the Islands. This is to prevent live pests, such as insects and other unwanted organisms, from entering the country.
As an added bonus, some of the youngsters were able to touch and pet the beagle.
Category: Agriculture, Schools
