Anti-Poaching Dogs and K9 Units protect wildlife
There are many Adopt an Animal schemes in existence. Adopt A Dog is all about adopting dogs who help other animals.
In this case, we’re talking about anti-poaching dogs!
These dogs to prevent wildlife crime by sniffing out poachers, detecting wildlife products, and recovering illegal weapons. They are amazing and are proving to be extremely effective at protecting not only wildlife but the rangers working to protect wildlife as well. They can act as a warning signal for rangers, telling them if poachers are in the area by giving certain warning signals. And they can detract poachers from the rangers, giving the rangers vital seconds or minutes to gain an advantage over the poachers.
Dogs are working to help rhinos, elephants, vultures, tigers and all sorts of animals in peril because of illegal activities.
Here are a few organisations who have an Adopt a Dog scheme you can donate to, but any donation will help these amazing dogs and their rangers help protect and save endangered wildlife.
Shinga is a very brave, good dog, having tracked a poacher 4.5 km, leading the Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservancy in Zimbabwe K9 unit straight to his door, after a warthog killing on Imire. Shinga is from Dogs 4 Wildlife who are on a mission: “to provide both quality, highly trained dogs and specialised ranger training for the development of anti-poaching canine units, to protect endangered species. You can help by adopting a dog (including Shinga) here.
Animals Saving Animals
Founded in July 2016 'Animals Saving Animals' works along side organisations to assist in the prevention of wildlife crime through providing Anti-Poaching Dogs and training to conservancies and national parks throughout the world. They have a dog in Costa Rica for instance who tracks and apprehends those committing illegal activities in the Corcovado National Park, and also who locates lost and/or injured tourists. You can sponsor an anti-poaching dog, from £35.00. Find out more info
Project Rhino KZN
Project Rhino is an association of organisations which "facilitates rhino conservation interventions aimed at eliminating rhino poaching" and securing the white and black rhino population in South Africa. This new K9 unit was established by Project Rhino to stop wildlife crime in the Zululand landscape. You can see a video about it here. Find out more
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
The Trust with SWT/KWS De-Snaring Teams and an Aerial Surveillance unit. Three tracker dogs and their handers find illegal wildlife products – ivory, rhino horn, bushmeat, guns and ammo, and they follow poachers’ tracks. The dogs can detect even the tiniest traces of scent or faint footsteps. Find out more here.
The Chipembere Rhino Foundation
Private and state anti-poaching units, community patrols and on-going engagement with government agencies are in place. The goal of the Foundation is to saturate areas they support with well-trained anti-poaching dogs who have proved to be very effective in reducing poaching. Find out more
Helping Rhinos
Help the conservation efforts with the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya as they train an elite team of dogs. You can be become a Helping Rhinos APU Dog Adopter from just £5 a month. The dogs enable the anti-poaching teams to cover greater ground, and enable them to track and detect at night. Find out more