US-trained canine rescue team arrives in Taiwan

Taiwan is to get its first search and rescue dog team with the return of four specially trained dogs from the US yesterday evening.

The three German Shepherds -- Sadie, Koda and Inga -- and one Labrador -- Raggie -- have been in the US for the past half year undergoing special training at a police academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

After three weeks of quarantine they will join the Taipei City Urban Search and Rescue Squad (台北市搜救隊).

The squad was officially formed two months ago by the Taipei City Fire Department (台北市政府消防局), on the anniversary of last year's massive 921 earthquake.

Taiwan's lack of its own dog rescue team hampered initial efforts to recover victims of the 921 quake, which killed more than 2,400 people and destroyed thousands of buildings last year.

Ninety-four rescue dogs from the US, France, Germany, Singapore and other countries had to be flown to the island last September to join search efforts.

According to Hsu Ching-sheng (許景盛), Disaster Rescue Section chief (災害搶救科), the training of rescue dogs is extremely difficult.

He said only 10 percent of dogs are qualified for search and rescue training, and only 4 percent of these dogs can pass a series of tests and become rescue dogs after training, ranging from six months to a year.

Taiwan's National Police Administration (警政署) is now training its own police dogs in order to deal with smuggling and go on anti-drugs operations.