Yolo County Department of Agriculture Welcomes New Detector Dog Berty

Yolo County Department of Agriculture Welcomes New Detector Dog Berty

Yolo County Department of Agriculture Welcomes New Detector Dog Berty Jun 03, 2024 04 : 58PM

• By Yolo County News Release

Are you the right candidate for this opportunity Make sure to read the full description below.

Two-year-old Bertyis ready to jump into action. Photo courtesy of Yolo County

YOLO COUNTY, CA(MPG) - The Yolo County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measuresannounces the addition of Berty, a 2-year-old Labrador Retriever, as the newestmember of their dedicated team. As a certified agricultural detector dog, Bertyis already using her exceptional sense of smell and boundless energy to searchparcel delivery facilities and airfreight terminals, safeguarding NorthernCalifornia's agricultural industries and natural resources from a variety ofthreats, including unwanted plant pests, diseases, and other harmful organisms.

Born in September2021, Berty underwent rigorous training at the United States Department ofAgriculture’s (USDA) National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, Georgia,alongside her handler, Christine Tyler. Dogs selected for this program undergoscreening based on criteria such as high food drive, sociability, intelligence,physical soundness, and low anxiety levels. Initially, dogs are trained todetect five specific target odors in parcels : citrus, apple, mango, guava, andstone fruit. Subsequently, handlers and their canine partners expand theirrange to include the detection of plants, soil, insects, and other agriculturalthreats.

Berty and herhandler, Christine Tyler, look forward to serving Yolo County. Photo courtesyof Yolo County

The Yolo CountyDepartment of Agriculture, Weights and Measures is excited to have Berty andChristine join their team, which has consistently been recognized as one of thetop performers for finding regulated pests of concern to agriculture and theenvironment. Notably, the State has honored the Yolo County Department ofAgriculture, Weights and Measures with a special achievement award for managingthe Statewide Dog Team Call Center, which provides support to all Californiadog teams.

Agriculturaldetector dogs like Berty play a vital role in intercepting invasive species andsafeguarding California's diverse ecosystem," remarked Lucas Frerichs,Chair of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. "Over the years, dog teams,including those in Yolo County, have demonstrated their effectiveness byintercepting thousands of significant pests and detecting countless parcelscontaining agricultural products."

Dog teamscontinue to demonstrate that unmarked parcels present a high-risk pathway forsignificant agricultural pests to enter Northern California. Over a one-yearperiod, a total of 966 significant pests were intercepted by all California DogTeams. These pests are known to cause serious economic damage to ouragricultural production and can be very harmful to our natural lands andwaterways. Some of the pests include the Caribbean fruit fly, Cedar andJapanese apple rusts, federally actionable weed species including hydrilla, andseveral first-detected fungi and noxious weeds not known to occur in Californiaand the United States," stated Humberto Izquierdo, Yolo County’sAgricultural Commissioner.

Berty is thesmartest dog I've worked with and an incredible problem solver. Berty and Ilook forward to protecting Yolo County’s and California’ s agricultural economyand natural environment for future generations," Christine Tyler, Berty'shandler, added.

Beyond packageinspections, Berty and Tyler will engage with local civic organizations,libraries and schools to raise awareness of agricultural protection efforts.The California Dog Teams program, a collaboration among the CaliforniaDepartment of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), USDA and county agriculturalcommissioners, intends to enhance surveillance and inspection activities forplant products entering California, alongside increasing public awareness ofthe threats dog teams intercept.

Berty will serveYolo County’s agriculture, helping identify pests with her sense of smell.Photo courtesy of Yolo County

When not on duty,Berty enjoys playing fetch and exploring her love for water, reflecting herLabrador roots. If you're considering adopting a non-working dog forcompanionship and to play fetch with, please consider visiting the Yolo CountyAnimal Services Shelter located at 2640 E Gibson Road in Woodland or contacttheir representatives at (530) 668-5287.

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