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Police dogs to
receive training
while quarantined

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By Rosemarie Bernardo
Star-Bulletin

The state Board of Agriculture has approved acquiring a satellite quarantine station at a dog-training academy in Waipahu to train police dogs.

Capt. Doug Miller of the Police Department's Specialized Services said the facility would allow police to train their dogs quickly and get them into service.

"It will be a lot easier to conduct intensive training where the props are and where the officers themselves work out of," Miller said.

Up to three dogs could be quarantined at the canine section of the academy. Dogs will remain in quarantine for 120 days. Belgian Malinois are primarily chosen to be trained at the academy as working dogs to track down narcotics and explosives.

Dr. Phillip Kau is the consulting veterinarian who will examine the dogs at the satellite station if any problems should arise.

"It was fairly difficult to train dogs at our facility," said state veterinarian Dr. James Foppoli.

Originally, officers trained the dogs in a confined area of the Halawa quarantine station, where they had no access to equipment and aids, said Foppoli.

Dogs wouldn't receive intensive training until after they're released from the quarantine station, he said.

This will allow them to keep animals isolated and train them while they are in quarantine, said Foppoli.

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Special: Hawaii animal quarantine