Mine Detection Dogs

The use of dogs to detect mines (MDD) has been recognized as an efficient tool in mine action for many years. Today there are five chapters in IMAS providing guidelines for the use of MDD. The use of two dogs to cover the same ground is classified as Clearance and the use of one dog to cover the ground is classified as Technical Survey. A recent study from the GICHD displays a high level of confidence among operators for areas cleared by MDD but fairly low confidence for the use of MDD in Technical Survey (TS). This report will however only focus on the experience from NPA/CMAC development of the Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD) in Cambodia. There are always three key questions that are asked by people when discussing the use of EDD. Can the EDD reliably detect Cluster Munitions and other ERW? What would be the cost for development and use of EDD teams and finally, what are the possibilities and limitations for the use of EDD in operations? The report will not provide clear answers to all these questions but rather seek to describe known facts, operational results, limitations and recommendations for further development. The confidence in the use of EDD as an efficient tool for TS and Clearance from the Cambodian Mine Action & Victim Assistant Authority (CMAA) and Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) is high. The challenge, as seen from the National authorities has been that the use of EDD has no clear guidelines in IMAS and subsequent the National standards are lacking. NPA and CMAC have been working with development of EDD since 2006. The Standard Operation Procedures has changed many times since the start of operations in 2007 and today we know more about training of the dogs, training of the EDD team staff, need for training areas and methodology for deployment. Many of these experience described later in the report should form the basis for revision in IMAS to include EDD as a separate tool and clearly state the difference between MDD and EDD.
Since the start of operations in 2007 until May 2012, the EDD teams in Cambodia have cleared almost 7.000.000 m2 and Removed 3.730 ERW, including 777 Cluster Munitions. There have been no accidents in operations involving an EDD team during this period. No Cluster Munitions or other ERW has been reported found or located during post clearance assessment and Inspections of cleared land. Since 2009 CMAC has collected detailed data on every task cleared by EDD. This includes type of CM/ERW, depth of detection, state of the ERW, Fragmentations located/excavated and ground conditions. There are still many limitations in the use of EDD. Initial investment cost, selection of dogs and handlers are critical, sufficient training areas, cutting of vegetation, heat and cultural conditions. There are however also many possibilities for further development. The EDD is most efficient in high metal fragmentation areas, large open areas with low vegetation, in deep detection of ERW and to be used as a TS tool to identify CM Confirmed Hazardous Areas (CHA)
The cost of development/Investment in establishing an EDD capacity will initially be substantial but the annual running cost for one team in Cambodia is today very low
(3.400USD for 1 team for one month) and productivity/added value in operations extremely high (4500 m2 for 1 team working for one day)
NPA Cambodia and CMAC hope that this report will encourage the individual reader to learn more about EDD and maybe even consider testing this highly efficient tool in your own country/organization.