Fact Sheet

January 2005

Detector Dog Service

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) currently has 69 detector dog teams strategically located across Canada, serving both travellers and commercial operations. The CBSA has specialized detector dogs trained in the detection of narcotics, firearms, currency, plants, fruits, meat and animals that could contain harmful pests and diseases.

The Detector Dog Service (DDS) plays an important role in the interdiction of restricted and prohibited goods entering the country and in assisting the CBSA to fulfil its border protection mandate by:

• Significantly increasing opportunities to interdict narcotics, firearms, currency and plants, fruits, meat and animal smuggling;
• Deterring smugglers while increasing public awareness of the CBSA's innovative enforcement approaches;
• Assisting CBSA officers by conducting examinations and eliminating labour - intensive searches and;
• Improving service to the travelling public by reducing the time needed to examine passengers, luggage, and commercial shipments in a least intrusive manner.

The CBSA uses several different breeds, but has primarily employed the Labrador Retriever for drug, firearm and currency detection and the Beagle for plant, fruits, meat and animals. Dogs are matched with experienced CBSA officers to form detector dog teams.

These teams receive intensive training at the CBSA's Learning Centre in Rigaud, Quebec. At the Learning Centre, they are trained to recognize the specific scents they will be employed to detect, whether they be narcotics, firearms, currency or plants, fruits, meat and animals. They also become familiar with the circumstances and situations under which they will work.

When the program initially started, all dogs were trained to indicate Actively by scratching, digging, biting, and barking at the source of the contraband odour. This was an effective way to detect and deter drug and firearms smuggling.

In 1993, the Passive Detector Dog Service was introduced. Passive dogs are trained for all aspects of the customs working environment but are especially effective in inspecting travellers for body packs and hand-carried items that are used to smuggle narcotics or firearms.

Passive dogs trained to detect narcotics or firearms will sit beside the source of the odour. The docile and friendly nature of the dogs allows CBSA officers to peacefully circulate with them among arriving travellers. Passive detector dog teams are working in all regions throughout Canada including international airports in Halifax, Quebec City, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver.

Concurrent with the implementation of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, the CBSA established the Currency Detector Dog Pilot Project.

Although other technical tools were researched, and some have been provided to officers to assist them in searching for smuggled currency, the detector dog is the only tool available that specifically detects currency.

In December 2003, the creation of the Canada Border Services Agency amalgamated the detector dog services of the legacy Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. CBSA officers and their detector dogs help educate the public by conducting demonstrations at schools and for community service groups. During these demonstrations, the handlers provide general information on drug abuse, money laundering or agricultural resources depending on their dog's trained abilities. This service is aimed at educating young people and the general public while providing information about the CBSA's role as an enforcement agency.

In addition, detector dog teams can assist other law enforcement agencies in their execution of search warrants for drugs firearms and currency.

The CBSA has also provided training, in Canada and abroad, to other enforcement agencies such as police forces in Blainville, Châteauguay, Montréal, Toronto, federal and provincial correctional authorities, U.S. police forces in New York, Florida, and the Bermuda Customs Service.

In 2004, detector dog teams intercepted 15,770 undeclared shipments resulting in more than 14,000 kilograms of animal and plant related health seizures at major international airports. Drug, firearm and currency teams were responsible for approximately 500 seizures totalling over $55 million last year. They have made over 3,800 drug and firearms seizures, totalling more than $940 million, since 2000. The currency teams have been responsible for 84 seizures leading to the discovery over $11 million in undeclared or smuggled currency since the pilot project was initiated.

Various photos of detector dog teams at work.

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