Name: Biosecurity dog squad adds six new recruits for Christmas mail
Uploaded: 2025-12-20T06:43:54.693Z
Duration: 2 min 9 s
Description: More than 100 million parcels are expected to be delivered nationwide in the lead-up to Christmas, many from overseas. To help protect the nation, the biosecurity detector dog squad is expanding, with six new members joining.

More than 100 million parcels are expected to be delivered nationwide in the lead-up to Christmas, many from overseas. To help protect the nation, the biosecurity detector dog squad is expanding, with six new members joining.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia's elite biosecurity detector dog squad has expanded with six new recruits joining the team in time for the Christmas mail rush. These dogs, after completing eight weeks of intensive training, are deployed at airports and mail centres to detect prohibited items such as fruits, seeds, and even insects that could threaten the country's biosecurity.

Authorities highlight the importance of these dogs, noting that they are on track to surpass last year's record of 42,000 detections. The public is also being reminded to be cautious when ordering items from overseas, as the detector dogs are vigilant in screening all incoming mail and cargo.

Biosecurity dog squad adds six new recruits for Christmas mail

Ready? They might look cute, cuddly even, but these canines are our furry frontline protectors. Yes, boys! Nice work! This is the class of 2025, the new recruits joining Australia's elite biosecurity detector dog force. They can be intercepting any kind of biosecurity risk material from across the world. Using their powerful sense of smell. They have a desire to hunt, and we just... It's what we call... We shape their behaviour, we introduce them to the target odour that we want them to find. And nothing goes undetected. Let's go, boys! The dogs are trained to detect nine different odour groups, so a range of fruit and veggies, a range of plants and seeds, queen bees. But getting to graduation day isn't easy. Eight weeks of training, nine to five. Not all the dogs make it through, but we generally have a pretty good start rate. Nisa, Yosef and Yazzie will join their 53 other four-legged colleagues who are posted at airports and mail centres across Australia, who've sniffed out everything you can think of in our luggage, mail and cargo. We got, for the first time in an airport, a marmorated stink bug, which we know can be dangerous if it gets into Australia. It hitchhiked on somebody's backpack and the passenger didn't realise it was on their backpack. With records set to be broken. We're on track to beat last year's 42,000 detections by our detector dogs. And as Christmas fast approaches, we're being warned to be vigilant when shopping for loved ones online. Be careful what you're ordering overseas and what's being popped in the mail. Because nothing gets past these hard-working hounds. It makes us proud. It's really satisfying knowing that we've played a small part in that whole dog's journey over its career. Even if they're a good boy. If you see the dogs and they're wearing their harness, just observe them. Aww! Matthew Karstunen, 10 News.

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