Jaki, Dixie, and Sara: Meet the Army Labrador dogs braving Wayanad's landslide rubble

Wayanad: In the wake of Kerala's devastating landslides, three Labrador dogs from the Indian Army—Jaki, Dixie, and Sara—are playing a crucial role in the search for survivors. These highly trained canines are working tirelessly alongside their human counterparts to locate individuals trapped beneath the debris in Wayanad district.

Enduring harsh conditions of mud, slush, and rain, the dogs are leveraging their exceptional sense of smell to detect lives buried under the rubble. 

"Human's Best Friend works with humans shoulder to should to find humans under the debris in #Wayanad.JAKI, DIXIE & SARA the three #labradordogs of the #IndianArmy are sniffing for lives tirelessly undeterred by mud, slush or rain @giridhararamane #OpMadad," a Defence PRO said in a post on X.

The canines were deployed from the Dog Training Faculty (DTF) at the RVC Centre and College in Meerut Cantt, Uttar Pradesh. This faculty, recognised as a centre of excellence in dog training, instructs dogs in nine specialisations, including search and rescue. The dogs sent to Wayanad are Specialist Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs, trained specifically to detect and signal human scent under rubble.

Their training includes 12 weeks of basic instruction followed by 24 weeks of specialised training, preparing them for this vital role. Capable of detecting human scent even beneath 10-12 feet of debris, the dogs alert their handlers to the presence of trapped individuals. The handlers then use tools to excavate and recover live or deceased persons.

The dogs have previously been deployed with notable success, showcasing their critical role in rescue operations.

PTI