Sniffer dogs for disaster victims

NOVEMBER 30: The Mumbai police has plans for a special dog squad called Casualty Detection Squad' to detect corpses, people and other vict...

NOVEMBER 30: The Mumbai police has plans for a special dog squad called Casualty Detection Squad’ to detect corpses, people and other victims trapped under collapsed structures. A proposal on the squad, first of its kind in the country, is awaiting the nod from state government. The police were severely handicapped due to lack of specially trained dogs during the search for bodies in the Poonam Chambers crash and similar accidents across the city in recent months.

Senior Inspector S M Sabde of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (Dog unit) said, “We are already getting four labradors in January-February 1998. Two of them are proposed to be trained for the special squad.”

Meanwhile, the first All Breeds and Championship Dog show organised by the Mumbai Canine Club (MCC) was held at St Andrews High School ground today. A total of 275 entries for the two categories of obedience and breeding where the regal German Shepherd took the cake followed by athletic Doberman, easy-going Retriever (Labrador), Boxer etc. Pugs of Orient origin and Chihuahua of Mexico origin made a rare appearance.

Uday R Kulkarni, honorary secretary and treasurer, MCC, said, “Dogs from the Bomb Squad, Mumbai Police and Indian bred dogs like Caravan Hound, Mudhol Hound and Rajapalayam Hound participated in the show.” While the latter are still a favourite with the urbanites in the south, the foreign breed is the eternal favourite among Indians, said one of the judges at the show, R M Salvi.

He said, “Police dogs can be bettered”. MCC member, R Kulkarni observed, the sniffer dogs (all labradors) are of good health and have a rapport with their handlers. One of the handlers, Harishchandra Sutar said, this is the first time that the dogs are allowed to participate in a dog show at the city.

Looking at the number of entries, Salvi feels there had been a rise in participation in dog shows, though Indians still regard the canines as a security unlike the west for whom dogs are first companions. Similarly an international judge, N Radhakrishnan, felt the breeding quality of the dogs here is yet to reach the international standard. Expressing concern at the virtual puppy factory that have sprouted across the city, Kulkarni maintained that from January, German Shepherd Dog Clubs (affiliated to KCI) will ensure tattooing of new born puppies.