TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The customs administration announced Tuesday a partnership with Huikuang Guide Dog School to expand its drug detection dog breeding program.
The administration said this marks the first collaboration between its drug detection dog training center and a domestic private organization. The dog school will begin providing frozen semen from Labrador Retrievers this year, per CNA.
Labrador Retrievers, known for their medium size, high stability, and excellent adaptability to work, are well-suited for drug detection duties, the administration said. As of January, 125 litters totaling 809 healthy Labrador puppies have been bred.
More than 40 drug detection dogs have been deployed across agencies, including Customs, the Coast Guard Administration, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency. According to the administration, from 1997 to 2023, Taiwan’s drug detection dogs uncovered 1,073 drug-related cases, seizing 12,529 kilograms of drugs with a market value exceeding NT$12 billion (US$370 million).
Customs Administration Deputy Director-General Su Shu-chen (蘇淑貞) said that Huikuang Guide Dog School is Taiwan's first guide dog training institution and an International Guide Dog Federation member. She noted the school applies strict selection criteria for working dogs, including bone health and temperament stability.
In Taiwan, dogs must undergo 13 weeks of training to become drug detection dogs. Handlers are also trained in dog care, behavioral observation, and essential handling techniques. To complete their training, both handlers and dogs must pass weekly evaluations.
After the initial training, the dogs are assigned to customs for six months of on-the-job training. They also participate in a two-week course to associate targets with scents, followed by a final assessment.
Last March, dogs at Taichung Customs detected 525 kg of drugs hidden within a wooden furniture compartment, with a market value of approximately NT$2.1 billion. Bernie, a retired drug detection dog who served at Keelung Customs from 2011 to 2016, uncovered 12 drug smuggling cases, seizing a total of 1,430 kg of drugs.
