• Society

CMAC: 17 Newborn Puppies to Become Next Mine-Detecting Dog Generation

• By Heng Sreylin
• January 3, 2024 7:10 PM

PHNOM PENH – Two mine-detecting dogs delivered a total of 17 puppies on Jan. 2. Those 17 puppies will be trained to become a new generation of mine-detecting dogs in the fight against landmines and unexploded ordnance, director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) Heng Ratana says. 

Ratana congratulated the next generation of mine-detecting dogs in early 2024. “Thanks to the assistance from the veterinarian, those newborn puppies are healthy,” he said. 

Of the 17 newborn puppies, 11 are females and 6 are males. All are domestic dogs.

“To become mine-detecting dogs, all those puppies must go through training. We could not determine how many dogs will be selected as they are still small. After six to seven months of training, they will be tested,” he said. 

“In the next few weeks, four [other] dogs will be ready to deliver, which could lead to a whole new generation of mine-detecting dogs. This reflects the improvement of professional breeding which no longer relies on foreign experts.”

“It is what we should be proud of as it will reduce the huge expenditures on demining equipment,” he said.

To become mine-detecting specialists, dogs need to be trained for 6 to 9 months on foundations, followed by training on technical skills for another 3 to 6 months.

Ratana said when it comes to training, domestic dog breeds are stronger than imported ones. However, some imported dog breeds are also evolving very well. 

So far, there are more than 300 mine-detecting dogs in the country.

In addition to dogs, rats are also used to detect mine. A grant of $400,000 from the Belgian government was given on Dec. 15, 2023, to CMAC for mine detection rates and technical survey dogs through the Anti-Personnel Landmines Detection Product Development (APOPO) organization. 

Cambodia is one of the countries that has suffered most from mines and unexploded ordnances resulting from war and internal conflicts from the mid-1960s until 1998.

At present, 13 provinces are mine-free. These are Stung Treng, Kep, Prey Veng, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Tboung Khmum, Kampong Cham, Svay Rieng, Kampong Chhnang, Kandal, Takeo, Kampot and Kampong Speu.

 

Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Rin Ousa for Cambodianess.