GO Transit’s canine unit ready to sniff out danger at Union Station
Posted October 24, 2019 6:01 am.
Last Updated October 24, 2019 8:14 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The newest members of GO Transit’s safety team are furry, have wet noses, and don’t wear pants.
Dash — the first of three GO canine officers — graduated from his training and began his first shift around 7:30 a.m. Thursday in the York Concourse Hall at Union Station.
“Dash, our first #K9 has passed his tests with flying colours and earned his badge and special treats,” Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said in a tweet.
The canine unit will be on-call 24 hours a day to investigate suspicious objects on GO Transit and UP Express.
Metrolinx used to rely on Toronto police’s canine unit to investigate suspicious packages, but launching its own three-member canine team means that GO can respond to potential threats a lot faster and reduce disruptions for transit riders.
Dash will be wearing a transit safety vest and a collar, both with “Do not pet” in bold yellow lettering on them — a reminder that he and his canine colleagues are on the job sniffing out potential trouble.
Dash, the first @GOtransit K9 transit safety officer is on the job. The 2 year old yellow Lab is a part of the 3 member K9 team sniffing out suspicious packages on GO and UP express trains and stations. pic.twitter.com/g0oY0qwOMO
— Kevin Misener (@Kevin_Misener) October 24, 2019
Dash the new @GOtransit K9 Safety officer lives with his handler Officer Brenton Hoffman and is quite playful when he’s not working. But Dash is all business on the job, so sorry commuters you aren’t allowed to pet him. pic.twitter.com/03ElcBJ7zN
— Kevin Misener (@Kevin_Misener) October 24, 2019
