(MY) Lucky and Flo

[Guest guest]

2007/08/21-New Straits Times

 

Lucky and Flo honoured after piracy-busting stint

By : Nisha Sabanayagam

 

PUTRAJAYA:

 

Lucky and Flo yesterday became the first dogs to be honoured by the government.

 

They were awarded commendation medals for outstanding service in the

detection of counterfeit optical discs.

 

The medals were in recognition of the dogs' five-month " stint " with

the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry's anti-piracy unit

since March.

 

Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk S.

Veerasingam pre-sided over the ceremony yesterday.

 

He said their keen sense of smell had led to the seizure of about 1.6

million pirated discs.

 

" With Lucky and Flo, we managed to make seizures in places we would

not have thought of going into or could not have gone into. "

 

The seizures had a face value of RM22.8 million. Twenty-six people

were also arrested.

 

Motion Picture Association (MPA) director of operation for

Asia-Pacific region, Edward Neubronner, and ministry officers also

attended the event.

 

Lucky and Flo, which were brought to Malaysia by the MPA, leave for

the US on Thursday before returning home to Ireland.

 

The two are the world's first dogs trained to identify optical discs by scent.

 

Their successful stint in Malaysia has made international headlines in

major newspapers, including the International Herald Tribune, Times of

India and Gulf Times. The Daily Mail in the United Kingdom carried the

report of the RM100,000 bounty on the dogs, which incurred the outrage

of the British public.

 

Various online newspapers, such as news.bbc.co.uk and

Washingtonpost.com, have also highlighted the canines' work in

Malaysia.

 

Veerasingam said despite the ministry's commitment to eradicating

piracy, it could only be wiped out if the public stopped buying

illegal copies of movies.

 

" We need the people's support. Piracy can kill other legitimate

businesses, not just the motion picture industry. "

 

The success of Lucky and Flo has led the ministry to set up its own K-9 unit.

 

U. Thiva, one of the handlers, said Lucky and Flo were special.

 

" There is something about them — everyone really likes them, " he said.