Agricultural Detector Canines – History and DemonstrationMelissa CreganFresno County Deputy Commissioner/SealerNovember 6, 2014

Barry the St. Bernard1800-1812Worked as a rescue dog in the Swiss Alps rescuing over 40 people

History of Detector Dogs at the Federal level• USDA-APHIS• 1984 “Beagle Brigade” • 1997 “Border Brigade” • 2001 “Cargo Brigade”

• U.S. Customs & Border Protection• 2003 transfer of 75 teams from APHIS to CBP• Currently more than 110 CBP agriculture canine teams • Provide screening at border crossings, preclearance

locations, air passenger terminals, cruise terminals, cargo warehouses, and mail facilities that process international passengers and commodities.

CDFA Dog Team History

Agricultural Parcel Inspection Program• Started in 1996 as a two year pilot program and was

extended 3 more years, ending in 2000.• 1996 there were 4 original teams working at the United

States Postal Service distribution center in City of Industry

• 2000 the program had expanded to 11 CDFA teams worked in San Francisco, Los Angeles Basin, and San Diego.

• Teams consisted of an agricultural biologist, an agricultural technician, and a trained dog.

• During the 5 year program there were 6,386 interceptions of unmarked packages containing plant material, yielding 1,075 pest interceptions.

California Dog Team History• Cooperative effort between the USDA, CDFA, and CACASA• Pest Surveillance Canine Inspection Teams

• December 2006-2008• Contra Costa (2 Teams*) & San Bernardino

• California Dog Teams• January 2009 • Fresno, Sacramento, & San Diego

• January 2010• Los Angeles (2 teams), San Diego (2nd team), & Santa Clara

• January 2011• Alameda, San Bernardino (2nd team) & San Joaquin

• FY 2014/15 agreement provides funding for 13 teams, however 3 teams are not currently operating but will be replaced in June 2015

*Funding provided for 1 team in Contra Costa, however the County made up the funding difference until both teams were funded in FY 08/09

January 2009“Chelsea” & Stephanie LeBarron

Funded Pathways• Teams work regionally to conduct surveillance

inspections at:• Private Parcel Carriers• UPS• FedEx Air & Home Delivery (Not FedEx Ground)• OnTrac

• Air Freight Terminals• United States Post Office• First Class Mail requires either a Federal Warrant or

consent in order to open and inspect a package. • Passenger luggage cannot be inspected under the

California Dog Team Program’s cooperative agreement.

FY 2013/14 Pest Find DistributionPest Interception Totals per

Facility TypeUSPS: Consent Obtained to

Inspect Packages for FY 13/14

Pest Interception Totals per Facility0

50

100

150

200

250

210

95

104

USPSFedExUPSOther

USPS0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

1607

601

Packages Alerted by CanineConsent to Open Received

Fiscal Year Comparisons

Total Parcel Alerts Actionable Pest Finds

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

56,753

50,294

41,002

37,977

33,162

FY 09/10FY 10/11FY 11/12FY 12/13FY 13/14

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

53 57

124132

319

FY 09/10FY 10/11FY 11/12FY 12/13FY 13/14

Fiscal Year Comparisons Continued

Total Unmarked Parcel Alerts

Violations of Plant Quarantine Laws & Regulations

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1,560

2,0161,948

1,177

1,581 FY 09/10FY 10/11FY 11/12FY 12/13FY 13/14

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

2,270

1,981

2,925

3,481

2,107

FY 09/10FY 10/11FY 11/12FY 12/13FY 13/14

1999-Present

Fresno County Dog Team

February 1999“Megan” & Stephanie LeBarron“Moss” & Lynell Lane

2006“Bella” & Stephanie LeBarron (2006-2008)“Bella” & Jo Harper (2008-2013)

May 2014“Luna” & Patricia Henke

Moving conveyor belts

Delivery trucks

Pallets Stacked boxes

Intercepted plant materialFlower shipments

from HI Wood cuttings

Cow-Horn Fruit

Questions?• Live Demonstration with Luna and Patti