Mine Detection Dogs sniff out landmines that litter the regions where conflict has taken place. The dogs are trained by an organization called the Marshall Legacy Institute, which raises awareness about the dangers of landmines and raises money to support efforts to remove them. Mine Detection Dogs and their human handlers help protect lives and livelihoods around the world. (Video Transcript)
Learn More about Mine Detection Dogs
Even after conflicts end, landmines remain in the ground in dozens of countries around the world.
These weapons cause injuries and death, mainly to ordinary people trying to rebuild their lives. In Afghanistan, Cambodia, Colombia, Laos, and elsewhere, landmines block access to roads and markets, to schools and hospitals. They deprive people of land on which to farm. They hamper reconstruction efforts in post-conflict zones long after the violence has ended.
The Marshall Legacy Institute was founded in 1997 to help provide landmine-affected countries with the tools and training needed to rebuild. Perry Baltimore became its President and Executive Director in 1998.
The Marshall Legacy Institute trains Mine Detection Dogs and delivers them to countries in need around the world. These dogs use their incredible sense of smell to “sniff out” the explosive odors of landmines. During an intensive training course, they are trained to locate both metal and plastic mines.
When the Mine Detection Dogs are deployed to mine-affected countries, they find the places where landmines are buried and enable them to be cleared, keeping people safe and restoring access to the land.
The Marshall Legacy Institute brings retired Mine Detection Dogs to visit schools to help teach young people about the scourge of landmines and about the lifesaving work these dogs do to promote peace.
- Use the "Detecting Landmines: Building Peace" lesson plan in your classroom.