Detector Dogs — CDFA joins county Ag Commissioners, USDA, and congressional staff members for parcel facility tour to see dogs in action

CDFA joined USDA officials and congressional staff members last week to watch a detector dog in action at a FedEx facility in Orange County, on a tour organized by the California Agriculture Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA).

"California operates an incredibly effective program utilizing dog teams that are able to detect plant material in packages that may contain a variety of incoming pests," said Jose Arriaga, Orange County Agricultural Commissioner. "These dog teams are key to helping us identify packages containing plant material and potential hitchhiking pests that come into California from around the world, allowing us to deter pests from infesting our local agricultural industry, the natural environment and our gardens."

The dog at the parcel facility was "Bear," a chocolate Labrador working with handler Vanessa Ochoa to look for unmarked packages that can carry harmful pests and diseases threatening California's food supply and the environment. Read more about Bear.

"What is most impressive with the canine teams, is that they can clear up to 8000 parcels a day in facilities like Fed Ex, making them fast and thorough," said Victoria Hornbaker, CDFA's Director of Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services. "The California Dog Teams are vitally important to the pest prevention system. If invasive pests become established, they could cause irreparable damage. I will add that Bear, in addition to being a hard worker, is a really handsome brown Labrador."

Dogs selected for the state program have been screened for high food drive, sociability, intelligence, physical soundness, and low anxiety levels. Dogs and handlers must complete an intense 8-week training program at the USDA's National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, Georgia prior to beginning inspections in California. Dogs are initially trained to detect the following five target odors in parcels: citrus, apple, mango, guava and stone fruit. Once the teams have mastered the five target odors, handlers work with their partners to increase their repertoire to plants, soil, insects, and more.