Rescue dog Frankie helps foil cigarette smugglers (From Andover Advertiser)
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Former Blue Cross resident’s new life as airport’s detection dog
2:10pm Tuesday 19th February 2013 in News
By Luke Tugby, Senior reporter
Frankie, the former Blue Cross rescue dog, who has helped customs officials catch cigarette smugglers.
HE was once given up by his Hampshire owners.
But now a Southampton rescue dog has proved the paw-fect pet detective, after sniffing out a £17,000 haul of smuggled cigarettes.
One-year-old cocker spaniel crossbreed, Frankie, foiled the criminals as they attempted to bring 40,000 cigarettes into Ireland from the Canary Islands. The haul was seized in two separate operations at Dublin Airport, where two men were arrested. Frankie was taken to the Blue Cross rehoming centre in Hedge End in June 2012, because his previous owners found it difficult to give him the attention he needed. But staff at the centre soon realised how sociable and energetic the pup was.
They sent a film of Frankie to Wagtail UK, a company that trains and provides specialist detection dogs in Britain and abroad.
And just months later, in November last year, Frankie joined the Irish Revenue’s Customs Service, where he has been involved in a host of successful seizures. Helen Evans, a specialist trainer at Wagtail’s UK, said: “Frankie is like no other dog I have trained before. He was incredibly bright and often too bright for us handlers. “In the beginning stages it felt like Frankie was training us! He was incredibly cheeky and loved to search. “His motivation was fantastic and he loved the reward playtime.”
Frankie is the second Blue Cross rescue dog to get a job with the Irish Revenue’s Customs Service. Last year Ralph, an English springer spaniel, discovered 50kg of cannabis worth over a quarter of a million pounds during a stop-and-search of a car at Rosslare europort.
Comments(16)
Aisha1
says...
3:05pm Tue 19 Feb 13
minnie64
says...
3:34pm Tue 19 Feb 13
St Retford wrote:He probably doesnt like you either - we also all dont enjoy paying £8 for cigarettes cos we all dont smoke !!! You need to get a life
I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something? Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.
St Retford
says...
3:49pm Tue 19 Feb 13
minnie64 wrote:Why are non-smokers so pious? I'd stop smoking if I didn't think I was going to turn into one of you.
St Retford wrote:He probably doesnt like you either - we also all dont enjoy paying £8 for cigarettes cos we all dont smoke !!! You need to get a life
I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something? Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.
sotonwinch09
says...
3:58pm Tue 19 Feb 13
St Retford wrote:I have. My dog is called Jack.
I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something?
Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.
sotonwinch09
says...
3:58pm Tue 19 Feb 13
St Retford
says...
4:08pm Tue 19 Feb 13
sotonwinch09 wrote:It was sort of a joke. I won't try it again.
And if you don't like paying £8 a pack of fag then quit.
bernard7
says...
4:24pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Aisha1
says...
4:27pm Tue 19 Feb 13
minnie64
says...
4:27pm Tue 19 Feb 13
St Retford wrote:'we all' meant as in not everyone not specifically me weirdo - thats torn it cos I do smoke - thought you were being clever commenting on a poor dogs name and smoking but you have made yourself look like an absolute fool !!
minnie64 wrote:Why are non-smokers so pious? I'd stop smoking if I didn't think I was going to turn into one of you.St Retford wrote: I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something? Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.He probably doesnt like you either - we also all dont enjoy paying £8 for cigarettes cos we all dont smoke !!! You need to get a life
minnie64
says...
4:30pm Tue 19 Feb 13
sotonwinch09 wrote:And my dog is Charlie - St Retford's real name is probably really shep !!!
St Retford wrote: I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something? Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.I have. My dog is called Jack.
St Retford
says...
4:33pm Tue 19 Feb 13
minnie64 wrote:Are you drunk?
St Retford wrote:'we all' meant as in not everyone not specifically me weirdo - thats torn it cos I do smoke - thought you were being clever commenting on a poor dogs name and smoking but you have made yourself look like an absolute fool !!
minnie64 wrote:Why are non-smokers so pious? I'd stop smoking if I didn't think I was going to turn into one of you.St Retford wrote: I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something? Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.He probably doesnt like you either - we also all dont enjoy paying £8 for cigarettes cos we all dont smoke !!! You need to get a life
minnie64
says...
4:37pm Tue 19 Feb 13
St Retford wrote:Are you for real !!!!
minnie64 wrote:Are you drunk?St Retford wrote:'we all' meant as in not everyone not specifically me weirdo - thats torn it cos I do smoke - thought you were being clever commenting on a poor dogs name and smoking but you have made yourself look like an absolute fool !!minnie64 wrote:Why are non-smokers so pious? I'd stop smoking if I didn't think I was going to turn into one of you.St Retford wrote: I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something? Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.He probably doesnt like you either - we also all dont enjoy paying £8 for cigarettes cos we all dont smoke !!! You need to get a life
OSPREYSAINT
says...
4:46pm Tue 19 Feb 13
St Retford wrote:Don't worry mate, it's killing you slowly so you will have less time to worry about it.
minnie64 wrote:Why are non-smokers so pious? I'd stop smoking if I didn't think I was going to turn into one of you.
St Retford wrote:He probably doesnt like you either - we also all dont enjoy paying £8 for cigarettes cos we all dont smoke !!! You need to get a life
I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something? Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.
jonnyx
says...
11:03pm Tue 19 Feb 13
St Retford wrote:nice bill hicks reference st retford
minnie64 wrote:Why are non-smokers so pious? I'd stop smoking if I didn't think I was going to turn into one of you.
St Retford wrote:He probably doesnt like you either - we also all dont enjoy paying £8 for cigarettes cos we all dont smoke !!! You need to get a life
I don't like dogs when they're given human names. Why not just go the whole hog and call him 'Steve' or 'Dave' or something? Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.
Subject48
says...
2:03pm Wed 20 Feb 13
St Retford says...
2:28pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Anyway, nice one Frankie. We all enjoy paying eight quid for a packet of fags so cheers.