Tail-wagging explosives experts: how dogs help clear mines in Donetsk Oblast – video, photos
Service dogs Kaya, Sisi and Blurt are working alongside the State Emergency Service of Ukraine explosives experts to help find and clear away mines in Donetsk Oblast. In some cases, dogs are more effective at finding mines than metal detectors.
Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) on Telegram
Details: According to the SES, Kaya, Sisi and Blurt work alongside their handlers and explosives experts in Donetsk Oblast. They have been trained to detect several different types of explosive devices and substances.
The dogs check roadsides, abandoned Russian military equipment, and destroyed buildings for explosives.
"They work at sites that explosives experts with metal detectors can’t reach," said Roman Perepletchykov, a dog handler.
One of Kaya, Sisi and Blurt’s main tasks is ensuring that no explosives were left behind at the sites that have been checked by explosives experts.
The SES said that the dog’s unique sense of smell can help them detect smaller or concealed explosive devices more effectively than human experts and demining equipment can.
"Thanks to their flawless sense of smell, they are able to find explosive devices in situations where an explosive expert’s metal detector can’t," the SES said.
However, dogs cannot always take part in demining operations: they struggle to work as effectively when temperature rises above 30-35ºC.
The SES received several dogs trained to help with mine clearance operations from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.
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