The race against poison has begun!

07.02.2014

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As part of the actions against the illegal use of poison which are implemented within the framework of the LIFE+ Project “The Return of the Neophron”, members of the HOS and WWF teams are currently in Andalusia (Spain) in order to be trained as dog handlers of the future Antipoison Dog Units. Once the training has finished, the handlers together with their dogs will travel back to Greece and start patrolling the territories of the last Egyptian vultures breeding in the country.

The dogs have been especially trained to search and detect poison baits and poisoned animals. Thus, the objective of the Antipoison Dog Units is to create, as far as possible, poison-free areas and to deter people from using this illegal method.

Finding poison baits is a difficult and dangerous task for the dogs, so the training of dogs and handlers will take over a month. Right now, the future handlers are getting to know their new colleagues, Kiko and Kuki (half German Shepherds- half Malinois). In the following weeks, they will start handling the dogs and train with real poison baits.

We wish our colleagues in Spain the best of luck with their new friends and we look forward to saving many animals’ lives from a terrible death due to poison!

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