Sad news out of Tanintharyi — as Eleven reports, San Mi, one of the regional bomb squad’s two bomb-sniffing K9’s, passed away on Saturday morning.
A brown Labrador originally born in Thailand and later acquired by the Myanmar Police Force, San Mi was just one year and seven months old. After finishing training at Yangon’s Central Military Dog Training Academy in February, she joined the Tanintharyi Bomb Squad approximately two months ago.
Of the 47 dogs in her class at the academy, San Mi was one of 30 who received an A at the end of the course; she also received an A in obedience training. She was then stationed in Dawei with the regional bomb squad. San Mi worked a number of events during her two months on the job, including during state visits, at the Tanintharyi Regional Government and Parliamentary Hluttaw offices, as well as making daily rounds at different mandats in Dawei this past Thingyan.
According to San Mi’s trainer, they were allocated a daily allowance of MMK1,000 and a monthly medical allowance of K10,000 — a measly total of K40,000 a month.
San Mi had been ill for the last few days and on Friday, a vet diagnosed her with an enlarged liver and a weak heart. She passed away the next day.
Speaking to Eleven on Saturday, San Mi’s trainer Kyaw Min Khaing stated: “We fed and kept her well. She passed away this morning shortly after we fed her breakfast. We’ve buried her within the police compound. I’m extremely saddened by her death.”
Last month, Sergeant Michael, a K9 with the Yangon Bomb Squad, also passed away after suddenly falling ill; his death was diagnosed as a result of gastrointestinal problems.
Sniffer dogs in Myanmar are generally overworked and undercared for. A recent Irrawaddy article revealed that several dogs who undergo training at the Yangon academy die on the course due to problems with their lungs, liver, and intestines as a result of regular exposure to gunpowder. Additionally, it’s not unusual for trainers to pay out of their own pockets to cover their dog’s daily expenses, which can easily amount to much more than the allocated K1,000.
Vets who treat police dogs have also pointed out that the animals should receive better care, including regular health check-ups as well as time off.
Following Michael’s death, filmmaker Kyi Phyu Shin announced plans to start a charity named ‘For Brave Dogs’ that will raise money and provide additional care for all on-duty sniffer dogs across the country.
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