House approves bill aiming to bolster domestic breeders of bomb detecting dogs

A working group consisting of government officials, private-sector representatives, academics, and veterinarians would be formed to develop standards for breeding and training dogs to detect explosives under a bill that the House of Representatives approved on Tuesday.  

The Domestic Explosives Detection Canine Capacity Act of 2017 would call on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to work with domestic breeders and the private sector to help meet increased demand for bomb detecting dogs amid rising threats.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), the bill’s sponsor, said canines are “stretched to their limits” with the rise of ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks around the world.

“This legislation creates a working group on the standards for the breeding and training of explosive canines,” Rogers said. “It will consist of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Office of Science and Technology, private sector industry, leading veterinarians and academics with first-hand knowledge, the group’s final report on standards should reflect the latest in canine science and will be presented to the TSA administrator for further breeding development as well as future canine procurement.”

Currently, most bomb detecting dogs are supplied by breeders in Europe. Just a few hundred come from the United States.

“This is due, in part, to private sector American canine breeders and vendors not having the resources to navigate DHS’ arcane procurement rules,” Rogers said. “It is common-sense to create these high standards to produce world-class detection canines here at home.”