Over the past year, with support from the Government of Angola, the Mine Detection Dog Center, the US Department of Defense and private, caring donors, MLI began a multi-phased program to provide Angola with 6 lifesaving dogs. The first dogs arrived on October 2, 2011 to begin the "Proof of Principle" phase of the project and to demonstrate that MDDs can be successfully integrated into Angola's demining program. Since the arrival of the rest of the "six pack" in November, the dogs have acclimated and are bonding well with their new handlers, who not only train with them, but are also responsible for all of the grooming, feeding, and exercising needs of their new canine companion. Not surprisingly, a strong bond is developing between the dogs and their handlers as they train on a daily basis.
MLI expects the dogs and Angolan handlers to complete their training over the next few months and to begin "sniffing out" landmines in the Summer of 2012!
Q. Why are dogs necessary for demining?
A. Currently, the most commonly used demining tools in the field include metal detectors and pointed probes to carefully check every potential indication of a buried landmine. Often, thousands of pieces of unrelated metal must be removed to find a single mine and it is increasingly common for landmines to be made out of plastic rather than metal, rendering metal detectors useless. It is, therefore, a slow, difficult, and expensive process to clear relatively small amounts of land.
In the mean time, people continue to be injured and killed, while critically needed farmland, water, and other social and economic resources remain unavailable to communities needing them the most. Remarkably, dogs have proven to be one of the most effective and efficient "tools" in mine clearance efforts, clearing land 30 times faster than manual deminers and greatly accelerating the pace in which land can be returned to the people.
Q. How are dogs used in humanitarian demining?
A. All landmines and other explosives emit an "off gas" that can be detected by dogs, even when the explosive is buried in the ground. Although there are technical efforts underway to replicate the capabilities of the dog’s nose, the canine remains 100 times more effective than the best mechanical technology.
The dog is integrated into mine clearance efforts by teaming with a human partner to search designated areas for explosives. The team begins in a known safe area and then carefully advances into the suspected region. Upon sniffing explosives, the dog is taught to alert its handler to the location of the explosive by sitting down as soon as the scent of the mine is detected. Safety for the dog and handler is paramount. The handler then places markers triangulating the spot where the dog alerted before calling the dog back to a safe area. The dog is immediately rewarded and given a favorite toy to play with, thus reinforcing its desire to continue working. The landmine is then destroyed by a team of trained deminers.
Q. What are the characteristics of a good demining dog?
A. Dogs are motivated to do this kind of work because they develop a strong bond with their handler and because of the positive reenforcement they receive each time they find a mine. To the dog, this is a form of play between two partners. The dog must relate well with its handler, who should be patient, understanding, precise, alert, self-motivated and, of course, like dogs.
Choosing the right handler is every bit as important as choosing the right dog, and it is imperative for the two to have a positive relationship. The handler is responsible for encouraging, praising and rewarding the dog because when the work ceases to be fun, the dog will stop working effectively. The dog should possess excellent overall physical and mental characteristics, while also having a strong drive to hunt, and a curious, courageous, and playful personality.
Q. Are dogs at risk?
A. When dealing with explosives and weapons designed to maim and kill, there is danger to both man and dog, but statistics show that if trained properly, risks can be minimized. The Marshall Legacy Institute partners with the leading dog training centers in the world and is proud of the fact that NONE of our dogs have been injured or killed by a landmine.
There are several important reasons why this is the case:
The Humane Society of the United States is also a major supporter of MLI and mine detection dogs. They are a partner in the K9 Demining Corps Campaign and former HSUS President Paul Irwin sits on MLI’s Board of Directors.
Q. How are dogs treated when not at work?
A. The dogs are treated very well. Their health and well being is a critical issue for the company/country employing them, as it directly affects their work performance.
Kennels are clean and roomy. Dogs receive nutritious food, exercise, refresher training, good veterinary support and tender loving care. All of this is required for program success.
When dogs are transported, they normally ride with their handlers. When travelling over long distances, they generally travel by commercial air, as would a family pet.
Q. How are demining dogs treated in countries where animals/dogs are not traditionally treated well?
A. The considerable monetary investment and the amount of time it takes to train dogs in successful demining programs demand that they be well treated. In fact, the strong bond developed been the dog and handler, along with the impressive work of the effective dog team, often tends to change attitudes of the local populace in favor of dogs and other animals.
Most programs are based on the development of an indigenous, sustainable program in the host nation. This means that a local handler sees his canine companion in a different light than might previously have been the case. The local population then sees the team as a positive force bringing safety and stability back to the community.
Q. What does a dog program cost?
A. To purchase, train, transport and integrate a mine dog into demining operations costs approximately $20,000.
MLI conducted an extensive analysis to determine the most cost-effective methods of making this program work and considered the following factors as critical elements:
Q. What happens when a dog completes its useful demining service?
A. MLI believes that successful programs ensure that proper care is available to retired dogs and that they should be placed in good homes in appropriate recognition of their service. When MLI chooses a company or country for one of our dog programs, this is a critical and contracted element. The countries contractually agree not to euthanise the animals; when their working lives are over the dogs are either adopted locally or return to the U.S. to be adopted.
MLI is launching the first Mine Detection Dog program in Angola this month! Unfortunately, Angola is one of the most landmine contaminated countries in the world, the result of a 30 year civil war between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA), that ended in 2002. The remnants of the nearly three decades-long war scar the land and the soil is saturated with mines and UXO (unexploded ordnance). Indeed, it is estimated that there are millions of landmines hidden in the soil of Angola, affecting all 18 provinces in the country. These mines inhibit access to railways, roads, airports, powerlines, and land for housing and fiber optic cables, thus hindering economic reconstruction and the resettlement of refugees. Landmines kill and maim hundreds of Angolan civilians every year, many of them children, and there are an estimated 86,000 mine survivors struggling to survive in Angola today.
Over the past year, with support from the Government of Angola, the US Department of Defense and private, caring donors, MLI began a multi-phased program to provide Angola with 6 lifesaving dogs. These dogs will arrive in Angola on November 10, 2011 and will begin the process of bonding and training with local Angolan handlers.
MLI expects the dogs to complete their training over the next few months and they will begin "sniffing out" landmines in the Spring of 2012. Remarkably, MDDs are able to locate landmines up to 30 times more quickly than human deminers and each of these life-saving dogs will clear approximately 4 million square meters of land during its working life of 6-8 years!
Dear MLI Friends,
We need your help on GlobalGiving's LAST Bonus Day of the year, tomorrow, Wednesday, October 19th!
Starting at 12:01 am EDT, all donations to MLI's TWO Global Giving projects, Help a Landmine Victim Walk Again AND Train Dogs to "Sniff Out" Landmines & Save Lives will be generously matched by GlobalGiving at 30%!
(Up to $1,000 per donor, per project, until matching funds run out.)
GlobalGiving has an incredible $100,000 available in matching funds, which will run out quickly! It’s an amazing opportunity to help even more landmine survivors and train additional Mine Detection Dogs to "sniff out" landmines and save lives.
With the extra funds, we can ensure even more children who have been hurt are helped and additional life-saving dogs are trained! Each year, thanks to you, MLI is able to donate highly-trained dogs to countries in need and help hundreds of landmine survivors by providing medical assistance and vocational training. We could not do it without you and we are so grateful to have your generous support. So, please consider helping again by making your donation count for 30% more this Wednesday, October 19th.
We truly appreciate your ongoing support & belief in MLI's programs!
Warmest regards,
The MLI Team
info@marshall-legacy.org
http://www.marshall-legacy.org
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