The Bomana Police Dog Unit had the honor of showcasing their officers’ training in dog handling at the 2024 RSPCA Dog Show, on Saturday 17th August, at Ela Beach, Port Moresby.
A total of seven handlers brought with them their furry friends to showcase feats of athleticism, obedience, illegal item identification and dog tricks.
The trained dogs had specific jobs of drug sniffing, bomb/explosives sniffing, firearm identification and general purpose.
They started off with obedience training in which the dogs were given verbal commands of sit, stand, down and heel; after successfully following the commands, they were rewarded with a moment of play with their handlers.
Later, officers demonstrated how dogs help in identifying illegal items by carefully concealing tiny samples of marijuana within the dog show obstacle course which was successfully found by the police dog, Astro and his handler, Constable Edward Baimba.
Finally, the handlers got their dogs to showcase their athleticism by jumping through obstacles (hoops).
The ultimate test was when the hoops were set on fire, which was passed in flying colors by Muno, one of the oldest dogs on the team.
The RSPCA Annual Dog Show is not only about celebrating the bond between owners and their pets, but also gives information on the best and appropriate care for animals.