“Last year, our four-legged customs officers were responsible for 3,300 customs seizures,” said Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP). More than a million cigarettes, 195 kilograms of tobacco and 11,850 cigars as well as 371 kilograms of narcotics and 19,800 tablets were “sniffed out” and seized. Furthermore, around 171,000 euros in cash were confiscated with the participation of the service dogs and six offenses under the Species Protection Act were uncovered. The customs administration currently has 26 service dogs, six of which are still in training: “Falco”, “Fin”, “Ike”, “Joker”, “Maxi” and “Torro” were newly assigned to duty in 2021.
One of the more experienced animals is “Django”, a German shepherd dog from the northern department of the Austrian customs office, who reported 479,780 contraband cigarettes in a pickup truck in December. “Mailo”, a Belgian shepherd dog from the Western department of the Austrian customs office, tracked down more than a kilogram of amphetamines in a mail item, and in three seizures he also reported a total of 58,000 euros in cash.
“We primarily buy the breeds German shepherd, Belgian shepherd, German/Belgian shepherd mix and German Shorthaired Pointer,” reported Stefan Konrad, Head of Customs Service Dogs. Suitability includes “a very good state of health, coupled with resilience, good social behavior and an above-average drive to play, prey and feed”. The animals learn how to track down drugs and tobacco products, drugs and cash or drugs and species protection. Wildlife detection dogs, for example, are conditioned to up to 20 different smells. The training – playful with click training and rewards – takes place in cooperation with Schönbrunn Zoo. Other training centers for “training on the job” are customs offices at border crossings and airports, and search work is also practiced at bus companies and car dealers. After around ten years, the sleuths retire, which they usually spend with their service dog handlers.
Source: Nachrichten
