MANILA, Philippines - Graduation would have to wait for four dogs of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after they were whisked away to Davao to help in the search and rescue (SAR) of people trapped under rocks after a landslide caused by typhoon “Pablo.”
PCG K-9 unit leader Commander Allen Dalangin yesterday said the dogs consist of two-year-old Belgian Malinois Hermes, two-year-old Labrador Josh, three-year-old Golden Retriever Buddy, and one-year-old German Shepherd Inday, the only girl in the group.
“The four dogs make up the first batch of canines we trained specifically for SAR missions. This would be their first mission,” said Dalangin.
The dogs are still considered “undergraduates” since the K-9 unit has not yet held graduation rites for them.
But the animals have completed the six-month training course and have developed their skills in sniffing out survivors and bodies under debris.
“They were trained that when they have found a survivor or a buddy, they should bark to signal their handler that a person has been found. They would also try to dig,” Dalangin said.