This K-9 Is The First Pit Bull In The U.S. Trained To Detect Arson

Mar 01, 2020 by apost team

A pit bull in New Jersey named Hansel has become the first of its breed to become a certified arson-sniffing dog. This dog is going to be used by the Millville Fire Department. It will work closely with the firemen and women at the fire department. Hansel stands out as the first his breed to be given certification in K-9 arson-detection.

All those involved feel this is an honor for the pit bull breed. These dogs are often scorned because they are alleged to have a violent temperament. Hansel is a rescue dog obtained from the Throwaway Dogs Project. This animal rescue organization has a simple mission. They want to relocate, repurpose and train abused dogs so they can provide a positive impact on a community.

Saved Hansel is a 4-year-old pit bull, as WTSP reports. He was initially saved by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) from a dogfighting organization. The Throwaway Dogs Projects spent approximately twelve months retraining and rehabilitating Hansel. After completing the program, Hansel was available to be adopted.

apost.com

As CNN reported, Tyler Van Leer,  a Millville firefighter, spoke with the other members of the Millville Fire Department about his idea. When he reached out to them, they expressed interest in getting Hansel. With the total support of the fire department, Van Leer got Hansel and brought her to the firehouse. He immediately began working with the dog so it could earn the certification for dog arson. Van Leer and Hansel began a 16-week training course at the Academy. It was done in conjunction with the New Jersey Police K-9 Association. 

Van Leer is a veteran of the Millville Fire Department having been with them for eight years. He explains how Hansel was trained to detect 14 different ignitable liquids. After his graduation, Hansel became a Millville Fire Department official member. The dog will work with Van Leer and other firefighters with his job being to detect any possible indication of arson. It is important work designed to help keep their community safe.

Van Leer will often proudly pose for photographs with his talented K-9 co-worker. This is the first time a pit bull has been used in the certification training to be an arson dog. It has been successfully completed by other dog breeds for years. The most common breed used for this purpose is Labrador retrievers as well as lab mixes. The dogs who complete the training are known as the Accelerant Detection Canines.

The training of these dogs involves teaching them to smell the faintest traces of an accelerant. These may have been left behind in a place where an arson could have occurred. Many accelerants have scents that are not able to be detected by the human nose. Once a dog detects the scent of an accelerant, it notifies a firefighter. Samples will be taken at the location where the dog indicated there was the sent of an accelerant. These samples will then be tested. The dogs are also trained when they are at a fire scene to simply mingle with people in a crowd. This will enable the dog to identify the sent of an accelerant on the clothing of any possible suspects.

The concerns associated with arson are more than financial. Data from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshall estimates that over 700 deaths are caused by arson annually. It is something special for a dog who was abused and forced into a ring to engage in dogfighting to change into a dog focused on keeping a community safe.

This is the story of a dog who was destined to engage in a terrible sport being rescued. It is now a respected member of the local fire department working to help people.

How a dog in a bad situation is rescued and trained to help a community is worthy of discussion. Help others read this story and enjoy a good discussion about it.