THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The K9 squad of the Kerala Police has got more teeth with the arrival of four Jack Russell terrier dogs, which are native to the UK. The police move to go in for the smaller breed, which is exceptionally good at sniffing out narcotics and explosives, comes in the wake of the huge spurt in drug use among youths in the state.
Being small in size, Jack Russells have the ability to squeeze themselves into narrow places and detect narcotics, unlike the larger breeds. Jack Russells have also the ability to detect bombs and mines as evidenced by their service in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. Jack Russell terriers, known for being fearless and feisty, are mostly bred in the UK mainly for fox hunting. South Zone IG P Prakash on Tuesday handed over the two male and two female Jack Russells to K9 squad assistant commandant S Suresh.
“We got four Jack Russell puppies, which cost Rs 25, 000 each, from a breeder in Coimbatore. While two of them are three months old, the other two are two-and-a-half months old. These puppies will be provided nine months’ training at Kerala Police Academy in Thrissur,” Prakash told The New Indian Express.