DRUG DOG TUCKER IS A TOP GRADUATE

A Springer spaniel left at the Brampton Animal Shelter last summer has
graduated at the top of his class and now has a job sniffing out drugs at a
federal prison in Alberta.

Tucker, a 9-month-old puppy, was left at the shelter in July when his
owners developed allergies, but his talents were recognized by city staff
and he was assessed by Darryl Martin, a dog master with Canada Customs.
Martin confirmed Tucker was a good candidate for training, and the dog
ended up in school.

"He excelled very quickly," said Daniel Massey, who trained with the pup
for 10 weeks in Rigaud, Quebec. "He finished at the top of his class in
obedience and drug detection, and his learning curve was impressive."

Tucker now works at Bowden Institution, a medium-security prison near Red
Deer. He has already sniffed out drugs in various spots on prison grounds,
on people and in vehicles.

His small 50-pound body is an asset for the job, according to Massey,
because it allows him to fit into tight spaces.

"He's an amazing dog and has already begun to establish his reputation in
the month since we've been here," Massey said. "It would take hours to
manually search the areas Tucker and I search in only minutes, so he's a
very cost-effective partner as well."

Brampton shelter supervisor Tamara Taylor said Tucker is missed, but staff
know he has gone to a good home.

A second dog recently picked up in Brampton as a stray is now being
considered for the drug detection program. The program started a year ago
and Correction Service Canada hopes to have 48 dogs in prisons across the
country by the end of 2003.