Yucatan SSP acquires ‘Hocky and Kadet ’K-9 agents that are Covid detectors

Mèrida, Yucatàn, (June 18, 2021).- Two dogs trained to detect people infected with Covid joined the K-9 Unit of the Ministry of Public Security (SSP) to reinforce the efforts to detect coronavirus in Yucatán.

At the facilities of the Canine Unit of the state corporation, Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal delivered the German Shepherd canines called “Hocky” and “Kadet”.

The dogs were acquired from Europe and trained in San Antonio, Texas, United States, to contribute to the fight against the pandemic, as they use a novel technique to identify suspected cases of infected people.

The K-9 agents were born in Europe

The Covid detecting canines are of the German shepherd breed born in Slovenia and Poland and were acquired by the State Government through the SSP, specifically to launch the coronavirus detection dog project.

Hard training

The canines were trained for a period of approximately 8 weeks, based on techniques developed and implemented by Dominique Grandjean, doctor of the French National Veterinary School.

The techniques consist of taking a sample of armpit sweat from virus-positive patients. According to studies carried out in Europe, they have 95 percent assertiveness.

The incorporation of the new canine police agents took place within the framework of the delivery of equipment and resources to the K-9 Unit of the SSP by the Anti-Narcotics Affairs and Law Enforcement Section (INL) of the Embassy of the United States in Mexico through the Consulate of this country in Mérida, with the aim of strengthening security in the State.

Source: Sipse