It's So Cute! He's Going After Junior's Backpack! (Drug dogs for the home)

Reuters ^ | 2/4/05 | Astrid Poei

[wagglebee]

TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian couple has launched a business offering worried parents or concerned employers private drug-detection services that will search homes and offices for everything from marijuana to heroin.

Russ Rathy of Pense, Saskatchewan, started the home-based business, Crusader Resources, along with his wife, after buying a young German shepherd trained to sniff out drugs.

The dog, named Alis Vicona, cost C$20,000 ($16,000) and can detect drugs or the residue of drugs in buildings or on clothing, even after 30 days.

"If you suspect your kids of drug use, this is one way to make sure there's no drugs in the house," Russ Rathy, 39, told Reuters from his home near the western province's capital of Regina.

"Obviously it gives you a little more leeway rather than waiting for them to become an addict and put them in rehabilitation -- or being picked up by the police and now they have a criminal record and their future is pretty much shot with that."

Once the dog detects drugs, Rathy said it is up to the client to decide what the consequences should be.

"Whether they contact police or flush it down the toilet, it's left up to them," he said. "We'll obviously make recommendations to call authorities."

Rathy, who says they started the business more out of parental concerns than a bid to make money, charges only C$20 ($16) for the search of a private home or vehicle.

For businesses it costs a bit more, depending on the frequency of searches and the length of the contract.

He uses a portion of the business income to fund free drug awareness presentations at schools and non-profit organizations.

[wagglebee]

I'm glad they didn't have this when I was growing up!

[skinkinthegrass]

JAIL BAIT. Ehh?

[billorites]

Didn't think I'd find it Kid?

[Larry Lucido]

"free drug awareness presentations"

Drug awareness programs create more users, from what I've read. This of course increases the "need" for his dogs. So, I would characterize this as marketing.

[maine-iac7]

Got money in your pocket? Unless you get pristine new bills, some of it has passed thru hands that handle drugs - and you could get "hit" on and under suspicion - searched upside down and sideways - house, car, - watched, etc etc - and never have been near drugs.

Things are getting way too intrusive.

[Larry Lucido]

"Whether they contact police or flush it down the toilet, it's left up to them," he said.

Hmm, destroying evidence. That will get you six month and loss of all your gun rights. And if the dog company doesn't turn you in, they are accessories.

[Larry Lucido]

"Got money in your pocket? Unless you get pristine new bills, some of it has passed thru hands that handle drugs"

I flush all my money down the toilet soon as I get it.

[maine-iac7]

Drug awareness programs create more users, from what I've read.

this program is not to teach how not to do drugs - it's teaches them all about them, which ones are used, how they work, how to "prepare" them - kids are much more liable to do something they know how to do...the real, underlying purpose is to get the kids to tell if their parents use - and the younger innocent kids will say yeah - next thing they know, mommy and daddy have been arrested and they're off to foster care - which the state counts on for it's slush funds. Big money in foster care.

Quite a racket

[Larry Lucido]

Exactly. I have cop acquaintances who taught DARE and were either in denial as to the effectiveness, or just liked the overtime or the straight day shifts that go with the territory.

[KarlInOhio]

The drug dog finds a little crack.

[skinkinthegrass]

I flush all my money down the toilet soon as I get it.

..married w/ children? :))

[Not A Snowbird]

One of our drug dogs is retiring and is up for adoption... I thought of bringing him home just to see the look on my teenage daughter's face.

[Insert evil grin.]

[TUX]

money down the toilet soon as I get it.

I get that crazed money all the time. Goes straight to the toilet and even flushes without my effort.

[Thinkin' Gal]

"Got money in your pocket? Unless you get pristine new bills, some of it has passed thru hands that handle drugs" <<<

I flush all my money down the toilet soon as I get it.

Which also demonstrates the risks of a false positive after using a public restroom!

Or how about visiting friends? Better not stay long, or plan to hold it til you get home! :-)

[twiggynow]

Ok...I think that the reported information has been distorted...
We DO NOT "rent out" Alis, our dog....we provide a service for a fee.
We have studied for years in preparation to receive international certification. Our certification is provided through Mr. Robin Hawkins, who certifies police, military, international agents, and special services canine handlers. This certification program is exhaustive and much more difficult than the certification requirements for the RCMP and municipal police in our country. Mr. Hawkins also provides his services to events and meetings of dignitaries/leaders around the world.
So....no, we did not just go find a 20K dog and decide to rent it out for cash.
Alis Vicona (Alis) was handpicked by Mr. Hawkins. She descends from a long line of military, police, and service dogs, and many of her ascendants are champion, highly titled and skilled dogs. She is trained for tracking(missing persons/suspects "on the run"), narcotic detection, and protection. We have each achieved our international certification designation with Alis.
Alis is trained every day, even on days when she is booked with a client. We keep training records, and record every alert she makes when working.
As far as privacy goes, it is a matter of expectations. In an airport, school or as a child in your parents home, you have very little expectations of privacy as you very well know that measures are taken to ensure that that place is drug-free. In a place of employment, its a matter of setting the expectation that drugs will not be tolerated, and putting a policy in place that explains drug dogs will do a sweep of the location, unannounced, at any time. This includes the Managers/Bosses rooms of course--there is no discrimination.
Speaking of discrimination/privacy, there is very little to be upset about here, unless you are using or bring drugs to work, school, or into your parents home. We are not the police--we don't randomly bust into places and take everyone's stash. We are invited into places that are concerned with keeping drugs out of the vicinity. We are no more invasive than a smoke detector or a shoplifting scanner at the exit of a store. They detect smoke/unpaid merchandise and go off. Just like Alis. She doesn't look at you or care how old you are. She doesn't invade or have to look inside or open up anything in order to detect drugs. She smells drugs, and indicates this to us. The person in charge who invited us SEARCHES the indicated area. If they find drugs, they do what they think is right. Now, in the case of a 12 year old who gets caught with pot, this is perfect because the parents can confront them with no allegations or drug test--theres little argument or denial when you have the evidence in your hand. Now, the parents are able to talk with the child openly and perhaps even seek counselling.
Anyways, again, we are not the police, nor do we have any affiliation with law enforcement...but of course, we reccommend contacting the authorities in situations where drugs are discovered. But this is not mandatory, it is left to the parent, client, employer, etc.
And ultimately, we are not out to get you. We are trying to make our community safer and provide help to businesses, schools, parents, etc who are in need. We provide the Drug Awareness Program because it is different from the usual scare tactic campaign. Instead of the lecture from a person of authority, our program is provided by youth of different backgrounds and ages who range from addicts and former users to those who have never done drugs. Some have backgrounds where their friends and family have been harmed by drugs. The main thing is, these youth are being empowered and recognized, and we know how much youth crave attention and power. Not only do they form their own peer group, but the younger children are now looking up to them. This is a double positive---the older group gets more "power" and attention, and the younger group sees that not all of the "cool big kids" are doing drugs.
Anyways, we are a bona fide concerned company.
Thanks for reading (keep bashing if it makes you feel more secure lol)

Shaun Rathy

[Thinkin' Gal]

Insiders going to the dogs ping.

[dighton]

I flush all my money down the toilet soon as I get it.

To play it absolutely safe, I flush my toilet down the toilet.

[Protagoras]

I flush all my money down the toilet soon as I get it.

I let the government do that for me.

[End Times Sentinel]

Yeah, well you don't know what you're talking about.  i'm in the biz myself and i have three smell hounds, ones a dauchand, ones a beagle (snoopy dog), and one's some type of mut.  i've been tryin to get one of the lucrative jobs down the airport, but it looks like some DHS boys have that contract for the time being.  therefor what we do is check out offices.  generally, what i'll do the night before is walk thorugh to get myself familiar with the lay out and while i'm doing that, i check out what's on the desks.  when i see pictures of black people on that desk, and it's in a good possition, like by the window, where managers sit, i tape snausages to the sides of their draweres.  now, my smell hounds dont have no formal training, but  they sure do love a good snausage when ones available.  we come flyin off the elevator or in through the front door and mr. upitty manager dont know what hit him.  not only am i smell hound handler but i'm a wizard of sorts in a social club, it involves conical hats and flowing white finery.  due to this fact, i'm pretty good at magic and i'll palm a dime bag of heroin and while the dog is chewin up that snausage its the old lookie here what i found.  best case scenario, the feller goesto jail where he belongs, worst case, at least he aint trying to take a job from the white man anyomre.

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[aculeus]

Insiders going to the dogs ping.

Too complicated thread (dogs, drugs, flushing money, actual dog owner) ping.