Shanghai Customs reintroduce sniffer dogs for port inspection

SHANGHAI, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Customs has said that sniffer dogs would be reintroduced for port inspection in Shanghai after a nearly two-year suspension due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

A total of 30 dogs were recruited after a recent qualification exam, said the customs.

The working dogs will be responsible for sniffing out contraband such as prohibited animals and plants hidden in cargo, luggage, and express mail.

Previously, 37 sniffer dogs carried out port inspections in Shanghai. The metropolis suspended the dogs' work to ensure their safety after the epidemic. However, the training of the dogs did not stop, and they still performed excellently in the qualification exam, said Yin Wenchao, a customs official.

The customs said mental support would be provided for the dogs to help them better adjust to the front-line work at various ports.

Data from Shanghai Customs showed that nearly 13,000 batches of contraband had been detected in the city by sniffer dogs in 2019.