Training Paws: Dogs on the Frontline of Mine Detection

Mey, a trained Belgian shepherd, and her handler Kenan Muftic play a crucial role in detecting mines. The Norwegian People’s Aid Global Training Centre in Sarajevo has trained over 500 mine detection dogs, including several sent to Ukraine after Russia's invasion. These dogs are vital in clearing dangerous areas.

Mey, a Belgian shepherd, has become a key player in mine detection, trained alongside handler Kenan Muftic at the Norwegian People's Aid Global Training Centre in Sarajevo's suburb, Butmir. Established in 2004, the centre has trained over 500 dogs to assist in dangerous landscapes worldwide, including zones in Cambodia, Zimbabwe, and Iraq.

Pages of history turned anew when 26 of these specially trained dogs were dispatched to Ukraine, labeled by a 2024 United Nations and Ukrainian government estimate as the most densely mined country. Following Russia's 2022 invasion, these dogs joined efforts to clear millions of mines and unexploded ordnance devices, reports Muftic.

In the war-torn regions of Ukraine, notably Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, canines from Butmir tirelessly accompany deminers near the frontlines. Landmines, laid since 2022, cost Ukraine over $11 billion annually in lost GDP, reveals a report by Ukraine's Economy Ministry and the Tony Blair Institute. Bosnia shares a parallel struggle, with landmines from the 1990s war still impacting its citizenry significantly.

(With inputs from agencies.)