Two new dogs have joined the ranks of the Animal Quarantine Service at New Chitose Airport. Joining the two that have been on patrol since 2014, the Hokkaido airport now has four canines making the rounds.
The two new recruits are one-year-old male beagles named Rimo and Moon and are tasked with acting as border control against invaders, such as germ-carrying insects and detecting meat, fruits and vegetables brought into the country without permission.
At a demonstration held for the press corps on July 28, the two dogs notified their handler when they caught the scent of things, such as mangoes, by sitting on the spot. "We'd like to continue to train so that they'll be ready no matter when the coronavirus-halted international flights start up again," an official of the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry's Animal Quarantine Service of Hokkaido and Tohoku Branch said.
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