Scooby the arson dog ready to sniff out suspicious fires in Winnipeg

Winnipeg's firefighting service has been battling a surge in suspicious blazes but thinks it"nose" how to get an edge in those investigations.

On Friday, the departmentformally welcomedScoobythe arson dog to thefire investigations branch, presenting thewaggingpooch with a badge engraved with his own regimental number on his vest, "as we do with all members that join our service,"said Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Chief Christian Schmidt.

"I want to welcome you, Scooby, to our team."

The new recruit'sofficial title is "accelerant detection canine." His job is to sniff out the presence of accelerants used to ignite or spread a fireand alert his handler,explainedScott Wilkinson, the department'sdeputy chief of fire-rescue operations and training.

"He's here to get results to help with the arrest and conviction in the arson fight in Winnipeg."

Scooby, a 1-year-old yellow lab,graduated from a U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives program in Virginia on April 26.

The ATF program, whichbegan training arson dogsin 1984, has produced71 currently active pairs of dogs and handlers but Scooby isthe first ATF-trained fire canine in Canada, according to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

Arson dogs can process a fire scene a lot faster and more accurately than an investigator with a gas detector, the departmentsaid in a news release.

That saves resources and time, and decreases investigator fatiguean important factor when simultaneous fires occur, itsaid.

"With respect to all those presentand members of the WFPS, today we have the cutest, for sure, member of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service," Mayor Scott Gillingham said at Friday's event.

"He's a beautiful-looking dog, he really is," Gillingham said, adding the canine is also highly trained and much needed with the number of fires in the city.

"Really glad to have Scooby on board."

Scooby will also do his share of PR, assisting with public education and arson-deterrence initiatives, the department's news release said.

"For many years now, Winnipeg has continued to experience substantially more fires per household than any other of our Canadian comparative cities," said Schmidt.

"While many fires are accidental, we see far too many which are deemed to be purposefully set. Today, our fire investigations branch is stronger than ever with the addition of Scooby to our force."