Dogs employed to detect banned items in airfreight

To find prohibited items in airfreight shipments, DB Schenker in the UK is using free-running explosive detection dogs. The dogs trained to screen cargo are from a variety of breeds and chosen specifically for their sense of smell. They include Spaniels and Labradors, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers. The highly trained dogs receive between six and twelve months of intensive instruction before they become part of the team and are particularly chosen for their ability to detect explosives. A new cohort is currently also in training to be able to sniff out lithium batteries. They are operating at Heathrow and Manchester daily and will soon also feature at Glasgow. DB Schenker’s UK aviation security manager, Ian Dallow, said that the speed and accuracy of the screening they undertake has become an essential part of operation and they give a reliable method of detecting certain items which would otherwise prove difficult using other approaches, as per a report.