Union Station has officially gone to the dogs. The bomb-sniffing kind.
A two-year-old Labrador Retriever named Dash began patrolling this morning looking for potential bomb threats and suspicious packages.
Dash is his name, and he’s part of the new police K9 patrols at Union. The dogs in Dash’s unit had 12 weeks of training.
READ: TTC Subway Stations To Stop Selling Tokens, Tickets And Day Passes
According to Global News, Union has used police dogs since 2013 but now they will be on the job 24 hours a day. Metrolinx will utilize Dash and two other canines. The dogs are trained by Toronto Police Services.
Working out of Union, they can be sent to any GO station, utilizing their fast response time.
Dash and his pals are described as friendly and cute, but commuters are asked by Metrolinx not to pet them (their collars read “Do Not Pet”).
According to Metrolinx, Dash lives with his transit safety officer, Brenton Hoffman, in order to create trust between them.
READ: Here’s What The Brampton-Mississauga Hurontario LRT Line Will Look Like
“It’s challenging to be natural and reserved with Dash when I am with him for bathroom breaks or walks,” says Hoffman in the Metrolinx blog.
Hoffman says Dash “seems to have endless energy. The best part is seeing how excited he gets every time he gets out for a walk or when we head to work.”
Dash is apparently pretty chill. He was chosen for the task in part because he can tolerate loud and crowded spaces without getting stressed out.
Good boy!
