K9 dogs tapped to sniff Asf-infected pork
1,700 hogs culled in Bulacan; pig farms monitored in Zamboanga del Sur
CEBU CITY—HE’S not just an ordinary drug-sniffing dog.
Aside from detecting illegal drugs, Poochie, a Golden Retriever, has been trained by the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG-7) to help prevent the entry of banned pork and pork products from Luzon into Cebu ports.
Poochie can sniff packages containing pork and pork products even if it is wrapped in several layers of carton or bags, said PCG-7 spokesperson, Michael John Encina.
It is the first ever K9 unit from the PCG that is trained for detection of pork meat products.
“We would like to fulfill the gap in detection capability. So we thought of training K9 units for pork sniffing,” Encina said. “The trained dog is the first in the country ... We will soon convene 30 dogs in the national headquarters specifically for pork detection.”
The 18-month-old dog was trained in August after Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued a series of executive orders that regulated the entry of pork.
The latest order called for a total ban on hogs and pork products from Luzon.
Garcia’s decision came after the Department of Agriculture confirmed an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in seven areas in Bulacan and Rizal provinces.
ASF is a viral disease that infects pigs and wild boars. It is transmitted through feeding of infected pork or carcasses, contamination of equipment and when blood is shed.
During the program launching of the PCG, Poochie and its handler