K-9 Anti-poaching Dogs Units

Information & discussion on the Rhino Poaching Pandemic
Post Reply
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75834
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

K-9 Anti-poaching Dogs Units

Post by Richprins »

This is a brilliant institution, indeed, doing wonderful work! X#X


Dunno if anyone has more internet links to the place, or info, but the story can be followed on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1154497561228335/

We had a chance meeting with some people involved, and Blommie has graciously volunteered to do a fancy floating trophy for the best ranger/dog team of the year, with paintings for each year's winner too! ^Q^

She knows the story, and is running with it! :ty:

More info to follow! \O


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Mel
Global Moderator
Posts: 28221
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Germany
Location: Föhr
Contact:

Re: K-9 Anti-poaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by Mel »

^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ to Blommie and the K-9s


God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Re: K-9 Antipoaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by Flutterby »

Keep us updated RP. \O


User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: K-9 Antipoaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by Lisbeth »



"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
nan
Posts: 26304
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:41 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Central Europe
Contact:

Re: K-9 Antipoaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by nan »

^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^


Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Re: K-9 Antipoaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by Flutterby »

More dogs for Kruger’s canine unit

By Janine Avery
25/08/2016

For most visitors, the deep grumble of a lion roaring or the high-pitched whooping of hyenas epitomise the nightly noises of Kruger National Park. But on my recent trip to Kruger, it wasn’t these iconic sounds that woke me up in the dead of night, it was the synchronised howl of four domestic dogs.

I was privileged enough to be spending the night away from the tourist camps at Kruger’s newest addition – the K9 Centre. Those four howling dogs were young bloodhound/doberman crosses, excited at the prospect of what their future working life in South Africa’s premier national park holds.

The dogs, now just over a year old, have been brought up as working tracking dogs and, having just finished their training at the centre, they were ready to be handed over to their respective section rangers to get to work. I was at the centre to see the great work that is being done behind the scenes to get these dogs out and working in Kruger. The canine unit is now a vital component in the war against poaching and these dogs join a formidable team of attack dogs, contraband detection sniffer dogs and other tracking dogs like themselves.

They had been trained by the capable Gaven Holden-Smith of Holden-Smith Tracking and Conservation and have been donated to Kruger thanks to funding from Star Project in San Francisco and Wuppertal Zooverein in Germany.

But the truth is in the world of anti-poaching it is not all cute and cuddly puppies or dramatic grenade launchers and helicopters. Sometimes it is the day to day stuff that these organisations really need. Hence why on the day of the dog handover the K9 Centre also received donations of a high pressure cleaner from Karcher, LED spot lights for the section rangers from MSC LED Lighting Solutions, alongside chains, harnesses, bite suites, mattresses, grooming brushes, transport boxes, dog bowls, materials for new kennels and Hills dog food all organised by various regions of the SANParks Honorary Rangers.

The day also saw the handover of almost R40,000 raised through a Facebook initiative by Safari Guide of the Year, Jaco Buys, and R20,000 from Bruce Fordyce at ParkRun.

But perhaps the most interesting initiative that stood out for me was one pioneered by Casterbridge Animal Hospital in association with the Lowveld Region of the SANParks Honorary Rangers and the Wuppertal Zooverein. The initiative involves training each handler on basic dog first aid so they are able to care for and attend to their dog while hot on the heels of poachers. What this means is that should these four brand new additions to the canine unit be bitten by a snake, lacerate a paw or get dehydrated while deep in the bush, we can all rest easy knowing that we won’t lose a dog in order to save a rhino.

Thus far, 22 trauma kits have been handed over to the handlers who have received this doggie first aid training and the K9 Centre also has their own master trauma kit. But it doesn’t end there – the aim is now to compile more comprehensive kits for the section rangers, and the Honorary Rangers are even looking to buy/obtain a container which they can convert into a mobile vet clinic, complete with anesthesia machine, operating table and the like. But this all costs money, or donations kindly given from those with access to this sort of equipment. And this, my fellow puppy-lovers, is where you come in! Have a way to help? Want to donate to the K9 Centre by way of cash or equipment? Then be sure to contact Grant Coleman, chairman of the Lowveld Region of the SANParks Honorary Rangers, via email and do your part to support the canines of Kruger!


User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: K-9 Antipoaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by Lisbeth »

I continue to wonder about the amount of money and material coming from abroad (USA and Europe). Good to see that the last of wildlife is not considered only "belonging" to Africa, but is a heritage to the whole world \O


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75834
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: K-9 Antipoaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by Richprins »

Very good point, Lis! :yes:

The Lowveld HRs run their own finances, as far as I know, and are very transparent and accountable. ;-) \O


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: K-9 Antipoaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by Lisbeth »

Aren't they still under the diktat of Sanparks regarding the causes that they can promote and what the money can be used for -O-


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Alf
Posts: 11606
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:40 pm
Country: south africa
Location: centurion
Contact:

Re: K-9 Antipoaching Dog Unit - Phabeni

Post by Alf »

Go K-9 dog unit

^Q^ ^Q^

Thank you RP and Blommie for the hard work

^Q^ ^Q^


Next trip to the bush??

Let me think......................
Post Reply

Return to “Rhino Management and Poaching”