1- The US Department of State initiated MDD mine clearance program
with ATC 1st April 07 onwards. At the beginning, seven new dogs were purchased and put on training under the supervision of highly qualified personnel from ATC and WRA.
The first Mine Dog Set funded by the U.S Department of State was deployed in early September this year. The mentioned set worked as a support with the DT No. 17 engaged in Kabul province. All the dogs were adequately trained and accredited by UNMACA. The training process has been done in Jalalabad city of Nangarhar Province, ATC training camp at Kabul and in the area designed for accreditation process in Chahar Asyab district of Kabul province.
ATC currently has 4 Mine Dog Sets (12 Mine Detection Dogs) accredited and ready for demining operations. The MDSs are currently under training in Nangarhar province.
Methodology of Using Mine Detection Dogs:
Mine Detection Dogs (MDDS) play an important role within MAPA. The dogs are used as a primary de-mining tool; to clear mined-roads and detect mines/UXOs in minimum-metal and low-density mine contaminated areas. Dogs are also used in survey operations to determine/verify the presence of mines/UXOs in areas suspected of being mine-contaminated and to verify the boundaries of known minefields. Dogs are also used in “special-tasks” and normal mine-dog mine clearance operations. The effective supervision of mine dog operations aims to clear the land in a secure and well-organized fashion.
Dog Health and ability check prior to work:
Mine searching operations by mine dogs needs a cautious assessment of some issues that might have an effect on the suitability of mine searching dogs, such as weather conditions, wind/breeze factors, rain/snow fall, vegetation density, etc.
A safe lane is a two meter-wide cleared lane that is prepared across the road minefield for the following reasons. If the wind direction changes, the work of the dogs can be adjusted easily.
Searching Requirements:
All areas, which have been searched and declared mine free, by at least 2 different dogs, are considered, cleared. No personnel shall enter the minefield until it has been searched by at least two different mine dogs.
Wind Direction /Breeze Factor:
Two vital aspects in the use of mine dogs are the biological realities of a dog’s sense of smell and the movement of the air. Winds and breezes move the smells and vapours from explosives that linger and saturate contaminated areas
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