KUALA LUMPUR: Dog handlers in the Fire and Rescue Services Department's (Bomba) K9 Unit need to have a high level of patience to manage and train the animals.
The department's K9 Unit Senior Officer II R. Chandran said this was to ensure that the dogs were well cared for physically and spiritually, as well as to strengthen the bond between the two of them.
"Dogs are like young children. When they misbehave, we have to be patient. We should not beat them, but care for them and befriend them. Only then will a close bond be forged and facilitate very important tasks and missions such as search-and-rescue (SAR) operations, like the tragic landslide at the Father's Organic Farm in Batang Kali in December last year.
"About 50 per cent of the victims in the landslide were found with the help of tracker dogs," he told Bernama recently.
He said the use of tracker dogs from the K9 Unit helped to save time and reduce the scope of the search for the victims.
"When we use tracker dogs, we can reduce digging during such a search-and-rescue operation. These dogs play a very important role," he said.
Meanwhile, K9 Unit Senior Assistant Superintendent H. Pramnath said the handlers at the K9 Unit were important assets as they have wisdom and patience in handling the dogs under their supervision.
"These dogs are trained. It involves psychology where they can read the dog's mind. This shows the closeness of the bond between the tracker dogs and their handlers," he added.
He said the tracker dogs were also sent for health checks regularly to ensure that they were always in good health and at their best when carrying out their tasks.
Before these tracker dogs are taken out for SAR assignments, the Veterinary Department will assess their health in terms of fitness, internally and externally, he said, adding that after the SAR task has been completed the dogs will be examined again. — Bernama
