CBSA dog sniffs out 22.5 kg of raw meat in traveller’s luggage at Pearson airport

A Canadian Border Services Agency detector dog made quite the catch at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this month.

The agency told Global News Tuesday its dog, Dharla, sniffed out 22.5 kilograms of raw meat during an inspection March 8.

Travellers are required by law to declare all food, plant and animal products they bring into Canada, including live animals and animal products, such as cooked or raw meats, hides, skins, trophies, milk, fat, butter, cheese, eggs, fish and seafood.

Failure to declare any of these products or to provide required permits/certificates can lead to detention of those products, a penalty of up to $1,300 and/or prosecution.

“Travellers may not realize the hazards associated with food, plant and animal products,” the CBSA said on its website.

“These products may carry invasive species and diseases and may cause risks to Canada’s food supply, economy, environment and our health.”

The items Dharla sniffed out included raw duck, pigeon, chicken and rabbit; they were found in a traveller’s luggage arriving from Egypt.

They were properly declared, the CBSA told Global News, so no enforcement actions were taken against the traveller.

However, the products were refused entry into Canada as they were contrary to Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations, the agency added.