The Republican (Springfield, MA) May 3, 2005 Effort started for landmine dog
The mine detection dogs are trained to sniff out 11 different odors.
NORTHAMPTON - A statewide effort to raise $20,000 to sponsor a landmine detection dog began in City Hall here today with living proof a canine's nose is a vital part of ridding the world of those explosive devices.
Rosa, a Belgian malinois, accompanied officials from the Marshall Legacy Institute to promote their program CHAMPS, Children Against Landmines Program. The Virginia-based nonprofit international humanitarian organization is traveling around the state to promote the program.
By the end of the hour-long presentation, a successful demonstration by Rosa and some words of encouragement from Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, second-graders from Jackson Street Elementary School were ready to start fund-raising efforts to sponsor a dog like Rosa.
"I think it's really good kids in schools all over the world can stop the landmines," said 8-year-old Sophie Glading-DiLorenzo.
U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, DSpringfield, got the class's efforts started by giving each student a quarter. He said one of the nice things about sponsoring a dog is it doesn't matter what political party you prefer; everyone can help eradicate mines. "It simply asks us as the American family that we pitch in to eliminate the threat -of what these landmines do to human life," Neal said.
The program began more than a year ago. Today, the institute sponsors 30 dogs around the world and hopes to add another 30 this year. If the state drive is successful, a dog named Massachusetts will be trained and sent around the world to sniff out mines.
"The dog has a great nose," said Perry F. Baltimore III, president and executive director of the institute. "The dog can smell things we can't smell." Rosa is retired now, but she spent 7'1/2 years sniffing out 1.5 million square meters of land in such places as Bosnia, southern Africa and Lebanon. Mine detection dogs are trained to detect 11 different odors. Of the approximately 200 countries in the world, about 70 have landmines that total in the tens of millions, Baltimore said.
Rosa also made an appearance at Deerfield Elementary School yesterday, and is scheduled to visit South Hadley schools and Deerfield Academy today, and Greenfield and Gill tomorrow.
