Taipei City Fire Department

PAWS, a search and rescue dog of Taipei Fire Department (TFD), will be taking part in the 2015 IRO World Championship for Rescue Dogs in Denmark!
According to the agency, the number of rescue dogs at the department has increased since the establishment of Taipei’s Urban Search and Rescue Team on September 21, 2000. There are currently 10 dogs serving in the task force.
Among the 10 rescue dogs, 8 of the hounds have passed the International Rescue Dog Organization’s (IRO) level B testing. The canine task force was also assigned to various search and rescue operations overseas, including Iran and China’s Sichuan Province, as well as emergency rescue operations related with typhoon aftermath or accidents in mountainous areas.
During the 2014 National IRO Rescue Dog Competition, PAWS took first place with 282 points, beating rivals from other municipalities and qualifying for entry to this year’s world championship.
TFD noted that Europe is the place of origin for rescue dog organizations. The region is also known for quality training programs for both rescue dogs and rescue dog trainers. The agency remarked that it is honored to represent Taiwan at the international event and will take the opportunity to conduct exchanges with rescue teams from around the world.