XN000022-1979-03-18 — Page 7

L

SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 1979

+THIS 'TOWEL GAME

DOGS PARTICULARLY WHEN

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PROVED TO BE EXTREMELY POPULAR WITH THE THEY WON MOST OF THE TIME.

THERE WAS ANOTHER REASON WHY THE HANDLERS

DELIBERATELY'

ALLOWED THE DOGS TO WIN → TO ENHANCE THE BOND BETWEEN THE TWO.

-

FOR A COMMON SAYING AMONG DOG HANDLERS GOES LIKE THIS. +THE FEELINGS OF THE HANDLER GOES DOWN THE LEASH.+

+ IT IS IMPORTANT THAT HANDLERS ARE GENUINELY FOND OF DOGS, INSPECTOR POON STRESSED.

WITH THIS GUIDING PRINCIPLE, THE GAME MERRILY CONTINUED.

THE SECOND STAGE OF THE TRAINING WAS CRUCIAL, INSPECTOR POON SAID.

+NARCOTICS WERE WRAPPED INSIDE THE TOWELS AND PLACED INTO A CARTON. THE DOGS MUST THEN LEARN NOT ONLY TO RETRIEVE THE CLOTH BUT ALSO THE DRUGS. THIS EXERCISE ENABLES THEM TO IDENTIFY THE SCENT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRUGS.

THIS TRAINING WAS REPEATED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.

BUT AS IT PROGRESSED

THE TOWEL WAS DISCARDED WITH THE DOGS HAVING TO DETECT NARCOTICS SCATTERED ALL OVER THE SPRAWLING TRAINING GROUND.

+ONLY WHEN DOGS HAD RETRIEVED 'ALL' THE DRUGS AND THEY WERE HIDDEN IN SUCH UNLIKELY PLACES AS TREE BRANCHES, BENEATH PILES OF STONES AND UNDERNEATH BOULDERS WOULD THEY BE SHOWERED WITH AFFECTION. AND, OF COURSE, THEIR FAVOURITE TOWEL GAME,+ INSPECTOR POON SAID.

AT PRESENT, ONLY OLIVER AND DEWARS COMPRISE THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE'S DOG UNIT.

+ITS A PILOT SCHEME BUT WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT THAT BOTH DOGS WILL CONTRIBUTE GREATLY IN OUR EFFORT TO STAMP OUT THE

ILLICIT DRUG TRADE, INSPECTOR POON SAID.

OLIVER AND DEWARS ARE ALREADY WORKING AT VARIOUS CHECK-POINTS INCLUDING THE POST OFFICE, CONTAINER TERMINALS AND AT KAI TAK AIRPORT.

+THESE TWO EAGER BEAVERS' REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR DAILY ASSIGNMENTS,+ INSPECTOR POON SAID,

WHO CAN BLAME THEM.,

AFTER ALL, ITS ONLY A GAME TO THEM.

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