In the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS), Scooby is known as the ulti-mutt good boy.
The lab, who recently turned two on Nov. 2, is from the U.S., and trained to detect arson. While he’s only been with the department for about six months, his chief says he’s doggone good at his job.
Scooby sniffs out a bed at the WFPS’s training facility.
Randall Paull / Global News
“He is a great help to our investigators. He’ll support our investigators for processing the scene. He’ll be extremely accurate for investigators to actually collect evidence and have it sent off to the forensic lab for analysis. He also saves a lot of time on scene. He can process the scene in a fraction of the time that investigators would be using an electronic device to do the same type of thing,” said Jason Fedoriw, chief officer of fire investigations.
When Scooby’s brought onto a scene, Fedoriw said he uses his highly-trained sniffer to find fire accelerants, like gas.
When he does — and it only takes a drop in rain, snow, or shine — he’ll let Greg, his handler, know.
Global News is not publishing Greg’s last name for safety reasons.
Scooby sits by his handler, waiting for his next task… or maybe a snack.
Randall Paull / Global News
“The lab has a very good high prey drive for hunting. So all it is, is a transition from prey drive — hunting for animals, birds — to hunting for ignitable liquids,” Greg said, noting Scooby’s work ethic is unparalleled.
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“We train two to four times a day, and then we try to balance that with the amount of fires we’re experiencing in the city,” he said, adding the understanding between he and Scooby is getting tight.
“They say normally about a year after you get partnered with your dog is when you really start to click. If I look back to where we started on March 21 to where we are now, it’s night and day,” he said.
“I’ve become very good at reading his behaviour and what’s going on with him. If he’s hitting a high or low, I’ll know that. If he needs help, I’ll know that. And he knows how I’m doing, (including) my searches and what I want him to do. It’s only going to get better from here.”
Fedoriw said the pooch has attended at least 50 to 60 fires since he started, which is just a fraction of the fires the WFPS responds to, but an incredibly huge help. Enough to bark about.
“If Scooby is available, he’s gone (in the field),” Fedoriw said, adding his shifts are never really the same because they want to share his expertise with everyone.
“In Winnipeg, we’ve seen simultaneous fires, where they’re happening at the same time. So that’s where he really comes in handy. We do work with the Winnipeg police also… If we can get Scooby from scene to scene faster, we’ll actually be able to process these incidents a lot quicker.”
While he has Superman-like powers, Greg said Scooby does have his kryptonite. Well, more or less.
“He’s a bed hog. He sleeps with me every night, and he’s got his side of the bed, and he loves to sleep. So in the mornings I legitimately have to wake him up and get him going,” he said.
Scooby identifies a drop of gasoline planted by his handler in a training session in Winnipeg.
Randall Paull / Global News
But the K-9 investigator doesn’t let it impact his work.
“Scooby is definitely needed,” Fedoriw said.
He’s more than just a brain and nose, though.
“He’s a great morale booster. No matter where he goes, he brings smiles. He’s even been in major meetings at our headquarters and the executive boardroom… and all through our human resources department, through all of our offices and all the fire halls,” Fedoriw said.
“When you see Scooby, you’ll see his very gentle demeanour, and (he’s) always happy,” Greg said. “He champs out everything, and he’s always ready to go, and he always wants to work. And he gives me everything he’s got every single day. So, it’s pretty special.”
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