The 1st stage of Customs canine teams competition (Competition) was organized and held from 10 to 26 October, 2022 to identify the best customs canine teams, to improve their professional skills, and to popularize the experience they have acquired at the premises of Volyn, Transcarpathian, Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Chernivtsi, Chernihiv and Sumy customs.
During the competition, inspectors-dog handlers with their four-legged friends, competed in the search for narcotics, psychotropic substances, weapons, parts for weapons, cartridges and tobacco products that were hidden in various search objects.
It is worth noting that all participants of the Competition professionally and skillfully field-tested and showed high professionalism.
Based on the results of the 1st stage of the Competition, 15 canine teams demonstrated their best skills among other participants and took the first places at their Сustoms, namely:
The best canine teams in the search for narcotics and psychotropic substances have become:
Andrii Nosulych a service dog Ford (Volyn Customs);
Rostyslav Pryhara with a service dog Denni (Transcarpathian Customs);
Valerii Sakhnenko with a service dog Nora (Kyiv Customs);
Yaroslav Zamrii with a service dog Alfa (Lviv Customs);
Kostiantyn Maliar with a service dog Botsman (Odesa Customs);
Ihor Bondar with a service dog Linda (Chernivtsi Customs);
Vitalii Yakhnenko with a service dog Yuta (Sumy Customs);
Andrii Kuchura with a service dog Jessica (Chernigiv Customs).
The best canine teams in the search for weapons and its ammunition have become:
Petro Vyrovets with a service dog Dana (Transcarpathian Customs);
Volodymyr Lakatysh with a service dog Cheiz (Lviv Customs);
Volodymyr Yerpeliov with a service dog Sheila (Odesa Customs);
Ihor Basarab with a service dog Laura (Sumy Customs).
The best canine teams in the search for tobacco products have become:
Yevhenii Babych with a service dog Ramsi (Transcarpathian Customs);
Ihor Hanzha with a service dog Knut (Lviv Customs);
Ihor Zavialets with a service dog Reks (Chernivetska Customs).
Taking into account ongoing russian agression against Ukraine and lack of funds of customs houses on business trips, it is impossible to hold the 2nd stage of the Competition at the premises of the Department for Specialized Training and Canine Services of the State Customs Service (Department).
But so far the above-mentioned canine teams were included in the reserve of the best canine teams of the State Customs Service, with the aim of further involving them into participation in interdepartmental and international canine team competitions after Ukrainian victory in the war.
We congratulate the winners with high results and wish them good success!
