The Beautiful Layla and Storm

(from left to right)

Doggie Visitors

The Cape St Francis Resort had two extraordinary guests recently, two detection dogs named Layla and Storm. Beautiful and friendly, they were enjoying a bit of downtime with their handlers.

We spoke to their dog handler Bennie Smal, a Chief Marine Conservation Inspector of the monitoring and surveillance Unit in Cape Town, about the two. 

Both dog handlers, Bennie and Keith Thompson, are DH5 dog handlers who have completed a Genesis K9 Group 3-month course in Pretoria. 

 These are amazing dogs.

We decided to get 2 detection dogs. They are trained for sniffing abalone, wet and dry, and wet west coast rock lobster. 

Tell us about them.

They are Belgian Malinois breed. We choose this breed because they have a lot of energy and love working. They enjoy the work and are rewarded at the end. We have had success with the one with west coast rock lobster tails and dried abalone in a house. 

Are they going to be in the neighbourhood?

In this area, we will be doing patrols with them, detection work, search vehicles, airports and containers. They are not going to be here permanently, but we will come and visit regularly.