Malaysia landslide: Sniffer dog keels over from fatigue; K-9 unit to be rotated for freshness

BATANG KALI, Malaysia: Many Malaysians have shared photos on social media showing exhausted rescue workers as search operations to locate the buried victims of Friday's landslide near Genting Highlands moved into the third day on Sunday (Dec 18). 

But many of those pictures do not show their silent companions, who are just as stretched and weary.

The rescue team's best friend - the K-9 dog detection unit - has also been working tirelessly alongside their human handlers.

Grim-faced, ferocious on command and equipped with a keen sense of smell thousands of times more acute than humans, the dogs share the same task: To search for the victims under any conditions, be it thick mud, slush or rain.

At least 24 people died in the disaster at an unlicensed campsite at Father's Organic Farm in Batang Kali town and nine are still missing. 

The rescue work is being carried out under incredibly difficult conditions and some of the K-9 dogs have hit their limit.

According to Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Norazam Khamis, an English springer spaniel named Blake keeled over from sheer exhaustion after two consecutive days of searching and will be rested. 

K-9 DOGS NEED TO BE RESTED

“After two days of slogging more than the allotted time, they (detection dogs) too badly need to rest and recuperate though they are not injured," Norazam said.

“That’s why at this stage, we will rotate them in turn, starting with three (dogs) first, then we will use the rest."

Norazam said so far, there are 11 tracking dogs placed on standby at the scene to assist in the search, with six belonging to the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia, four belonging to the Royal Malaysian Police and one from the Malaysian Army.

“We may ask for an increase if necessary,” he added.

Of the 94 people caught in the landslide, 61 have been rescued.