Muntinlupa invites pet owners to join free K-9 training

The Office of the City Veterinarian - Muntinlupa on Tuesday invited pet owners to participate in the second batch of the city government’s K-9 Search and Rescue Training.

The OCV will conduct an orientation on July 7, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the second floor of the Resiliency Building in Barangay Tunasan.

“There’s no need to bring the dogs to the orientation,” the city veterinarian clarified.

With the recent construction of the Muntinlupa Animal Pound in Barangay Tunasan, the city government is offering a platform for canine training to assist in search-and-rescue operations.

The free SAR training will be facilitated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority K9 Corps once a week, every weekend.

Muntinlupa City recently launched its K-9 SAR Unit, the first of its kind among local government units in the Philippines.

City Veterinarian Dr. Pamela Hernandez said the first batch of Muntinlupa K-9 SAR Unit started training in March.

She added that the local government envisioned having a K-9 SAR Unit in every barangay with at least five members and acquiring bomb-sniffing dogs for anti-criminality and security operations.

“After advancing in the workshops and being certified by the MMDA K-9 Corps, we also look at training other LGUs, especially neighboring cities, to help them establish their own K-9 SAR. MMDA K-9 Corps also eyes Muntinlupa City to be the center of K-9 SAR training in the Metro Manila South Quadrant,” Hernandez said.