After voting on social media, puppies from the Rio Fire Department kennel receive names

After voting on social media, the Rio de Janeiro Fire Department released the names chosen for the troop’s new dogs.

With 74% of the votes, the German Pointer puppy will be named Petra, instead of Masda. In a tighter dispute, 51% of the poll participants decided to name the Belgian Malinois Shepherd as Diana. Duna received 49% of the votes.

“They are little dogs that come from a scent lineage. They will undergo training and will soon be part of our search and rescue team, searching for people lost in forests, debris and landslides”, explained the head of the kennel’s operational subsection, Captain William Pellerano.

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A post shared by the Military Fire Department/ RJ (@corpodebombeiros_rj)

The dogs are 4 months old. After the “baptism”, they will also undergo extensive training at the 2nd Forestry and Environmental Relief Group before starting work.

According to firefighters, the corporation’s dogs begin to be stimulated from the first days of their lives and only after about two years are they ready to participate in operations in landslides, landslides and also in searches for people lost in woods and forests.

During this training period, they are accustomed to different types of terrain, such as grass, mud, earth and rocks, simulating rubble in disasters. The games are aimed at developing balance, dexterity and obedience. Each activity has a purpose and helps build the skills of four-legged heroes.

To be considered fit for work, the dogs also undergo tests, which attest to their ability with the handlers. Today, the corporation’s kennel in Rio has 17 dogs in operation.

The work of sniffer dogs is important in the search for survivors, especially in natural disasters. In the tragedy in Petrópolis, in February 2022, when heavy rain hit the city, it caused floods, a series of landslides and more than 240 deaths, 60 dogs from across the country were essential in the search for survivors.