The Evansville Fire Department has a new recruit in their arson detection squad- one with 4 legs instead of 2 and has a highly developed sense of smell which can help save a lot of lives. Shadow, a black Labrador retriever, is prepared to assume his obligations as official arson dog for the department after finishing his training. Per a Courier Press report, Shadow is one of the most ardent members the Fire Department has seen.

The Perfect Canine Personality for the Arson Detection Squad

When Shadow was initially presented as a conceivable candidate for the canine arson detection team, investigator Richard Howard was quite certain that he’d be a poor fit at best. Shadow was way too wild and also was lacking the patience that is a necessity for the task, he deemed. However nowadays, Howard confesses that Shadow’s ‘exuberant’ attitude could very well be the canine’s most important asset in his ‘line of work’. According to this Fire department investigator from Evansville, Shadow instinctively knows when its time to put the famed abilities of Labrador retrievers to work. In fact, Labradors have always been the most effective dogs for all kinds of work associated with search and / or rescue. Their sensitive and friendly nature makes them especially loyal and very obedient to their master which is a superb asset in such situations.

Shadow’s Training Schedule

Shadow has been conditioned to identify accelerants at locations where fires have started. In addition to accelerants, Shadow is also able to sniff out a whole range of inflammable substances such as gasoline or lighter fluid. The dog never misses a single day of instruction and he often goes to fire scenes along with investigator Howard. Actually, Howard takes him along to sites of accidental fire too so that Shadow can learn the ropes. However the department is diligent to keep the canine squad well away from methamphetamine lab fire mishaps as the toxins could be potentially deadly to them. Speaking of Shadows training, Howard is very happy to claim that he never has to coax the canine to work hard. Shadow is often a bit too wild or exuberant but he has learned his job and takes it as intently as anyone else in the Evansville Fire Department.

The State Farm Arson Dog Program

The State Farm Arson Dog Program was first initiated in 1992 when a female canine named Murphy was the very first dog to be trained for work. The latest addition to the program, Shadow, is going to be replacing Sadie, who had been ‘recruited’ into the department in 2001.

Arson dogs are generally lodged with the investigator who is going to be handling the dog in order to develop a close partnership which can prove very useful in case of emergencies. Through the help of such well trained labrador retrievers the Fire Department can promptly identify arsonists as well. Taking into consideration the National Fire Protection Association facts that over 40,000 fires were set purposely in 2009, tracking down and penalizing arsonists is unquestionably a overwhelming undertaking which will be drastically easier thanks to these arson canines.