THE MALAY MAIL
Paddy, the RM10million super-sniffer
WONDER WORKER: Paddy has been helping out the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry's enforcement team to chalk up big hits.
PADDY certainly has a fantasitic nose for the job. He's so good at it that his bosses are mighty pleased. Take for example, on just three occasions when his assistance was needed, Paddy netted a record-breaking RM10 million bounty.
This feat, achieved over this past six months has already surpassed the previous hauling-in by previous 'expatriate' counterparts Lucky and Flo -- the world’s first dogs trained to sniff out pirated DVDs and CDs.They have since returned home.
“Paddy is a really good sniffing dog and is a very hard worker, " attested Paddy's boss, R. Shankaran, the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry’s K9-unit chief. "He can handle almost anything. He is a very macho individual.”
Paddy, Malaysia’s sole canine crusader has led enforcement teams from the Ministry to get the goods, namely pirated discs and duplicating equipment worth a whopping RM10 million.
Last Friday was the biggest haul-in to date by the enforcement, with Paddy part of the team. Shankaran said raids on warehouses in Subang and Sungai Buloh led to seizure of duplicating machines and pirated discs estimated to be worth over RM8 million. Just days earlier, Paddy helped the team uncover a haul of 35,000 pirated discs in warehouses, many destined for export to Singapore.
“Paddy is only three-and-half years old now, and hopefully will have s a long and prosperous career with the ministry,” said Shankaran. In human years, the handsome silky black Labrador would be considered nearing 25 years in age. (1 dog year= approximately 7 human years)
Paddy was one of two sniffer dogs sent to Malaysia under the sponsorship of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) in February last year. Earlier in 2007, the pioneers Lucky and Flo were loaned to the Ministry by the MPAA for a short stint and from April 15 to Aug 20, the impressive canine duo helped teams net RM2.5 million worth of pirated discs. So much so that a RM80,000 bounty was actually put on the dogs’ heads by local piracy syndicates!
Retrievers Lucky and Flo from Northern Ireland too were even awarded commendation medals by the Malaysian government, the first given to any canines in Malaysia in recognition of their work in putting a dent in piracy activities in the country.
Since Paddy is now fully Malaysian — having been taken over by the Malaysian government — the local authorities are confident of an even higher record raids.
And to think that Paddy himself was rescued from an animal shelter in Ireland. Showing his potential, Paddy has been flying solo in his work following the sad death of canine partner Manny to heat stroke in June last year.
But that won’t be for long, promises Shankaran, revealing a possible comrade from Malaysia is being recruited as back-up for the K-9 unit.. And one that could possibly share a similar history of being rescued from a shelter too.
“We have identified a four-month-old Basset Hound pup, a local mix-breed at the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).Once everything is finalised, Mara could join the unit as early as next month," said Shankaran.
It would take between four to five months of solid training before Mara could be ready to join Paddy on the field.
“We are not planning to give Mara too much initially and they won’t be working together all the time. If Paddy is overworked or there is a big case, Mara will help out,” he explained.
Well, every dog must have its day off too -- and certainly super-sniffer Paddy, the enforcement team's best friend.
PET+BLOGSPOT is the online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) You may also visit our homepage which is www.petpositive.com.my
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