New Arson Dog Ready To Go At Evansville Fire Department
The Evansville Fire Department has a completely new recruit in their arson detection squad- one with four legs instead of two and a highly developed sense of smell to help save numerous lives. Shadow, a black Labrador retriever, is now able to take on his duties as official arson dog for the department after finishing his training. Based upon a Courier Press report, Shadow is one of the most passionate members the Fire Department has ever seen.
The Perfect Canine Personality for the Arson Detection Squad
At the time Shadow was first presented as a prospective candidate for the canine arson detection team, investigator Richard Howard was quite certain that he’d be a poor fit at best. The dog was too wild and was lacking the patience that was important for the task, he believed. Yet these days, Howard admits that Shadow’s ‘exuberant’ outlook is perhaps the dog’s greatest asset in his ‘line of work’. As indicated by this Fire department investigator from Evansville, Shadow instinctively recognizes when it is time to put the recognized abilities of Labrador retrievers to work. Of course, Labradors are the ideal dogs for any kind of work regarding search and / or rescue. Their sensitive and friendly nature makes them exceptionally loyal and also very obedient to their trainer which is an ideal asset in such situations.
Shadow’s Training Schedule
Shadow was trained to detect accelerants at sites where fires have broken out. Along with accelerants, Shadow is also able to sniff out a wide range of inflammable materials such as gasoline or lighter fluid. Shadow never misses a single day of training and he routinely goes to fire sites alongside investigator Howard. In fact, Howard takes Shadow with him to spots of accidental fire too so that Shadow can learn the ropes. Although the department is vigilant to keep the canine squad well away from meth lab fire mishaps as the chemical compounds could be potentially dangerous to them. Discussing Shadows training, Howard is very happy to state that he never has to cajole the canine to work hard. Shadow can be a touch too wild or exuberant but he has learned his job and takes it as seriously as anyone else in the Evansville Fire Department.
The State Farm Arson Dog Program
The State Farm Arson Dog Program was first initiated in 1992 when a female dog named Murphy became the first canine to be trained for work. The brand new addition to the program, Shadow, will be replacing Sadie, who was ‘recruited’ into the department in 2001.
Arson dogs are typically lodged with the investigator who will be handling the dog so that they can build a close rapport that may prove vital during emergencies. By making use of such trained labrador retrievers the Fire Department can speedily identify arsonists as well. Considering the National Fire Protection Association data that over 40,000 fires were set purposely in 2009, finding and punishing arsonists is without a doubt a problematic task which will be drastically easier due to these arson dogs.
