The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should move toward permitting private contractors to train explosive-sniffing dogs and make them available for use at government certified cargo screening facilities, the Airforwarders Association (AfA) urged a congressional panel in testimony today.

Appearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security, AfA board member Chris Connell urged TSA to finalize its efforts to develop a program for private companies to use their own canines, certified to TSA standards, to meet federal air cargo screening mandates. Currently, TSA permits only the use of the agencys own dogs in cargo screening, and only at on-airport facilities.

Click here to download the AfA’s written testimony.

Connell, who is President of Commodity Forwarders, Inc., a Los Angeles-based freight forwarding company specializing in perishable products, said enabling the use of private sector dogs will help broaden the security options for freight forwarders who operate off-airport Certified Cargo Screening Facilities (CCSF), which are supervised by TSA.

We are not saying that privatized canines are a magic bullet when it comes to screening cargo, but they are a potentially valuable part of this multilayer approach another important tool in the toolbox, if you will that includes a range of other technology solutions that our members can use to meet their screening requirements, he said.

Connell told the subcommittee that the AfA had just recently surveyed its members and found that fully three-quarters of the respondents about half of whom operate CCSFs said they would strongly consider using dogs provided by private companies if they were given the option to do that.

While emphasizing that the threat to the aviation industry remains high and association members are determined to do their part to ensure safety, Connell noted that time is money in our business. And right now our company believes that we could save over a million dollars a year at our LAX facility if we had access to a third party solution deploying canines. And of course our customers would highly appreciate the time savings that this solution would help us achieve.

Accordingly, we are highly interested in any solution that can help us expedite the screening process, move our perishables more quickly through the supply chain, and still provide the utmost in safety and security of what we ship. We think dogs can really help us do that, he said.

Connell also noted that use of specially trained dogs is one of several methods for screening air freight that are identified in the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act that was passed by Congress in 2007. And he said that, given the track record of using canines in cargo screening, proceeding with a private sector option with solutions fully regulated, certified and monitored by government agencies would square with other screening approaches such as in-house x-ray and ETD, where the government relies on private sector solutions that are tested and certified.

About the Airforwarders Association

The Airforwarders Association (AfA) represents more than 360 member companies dedicated to moving cargo throughout the supply chain. The association’s members range from small businesses with fewer than 20 employees to large companies employing more than 1,000 people and business models varying from domestic to worldwide freight forwarding operations. In short, they are the travel agents for freight shipments, moving cargo in the timeliest and most cost efficient manner whether it is carried on aircraft, truck, rail or ship. For more information, visit the association’s website at http://www.airforwarders.org.

First Responders of 31 local Armstrong County Fire Departments are now best-equipped to save pets lives during a fire thanks to two local Invisible Fence Brand dealers.

This donation is just a small part of Invisible Fence Brands Project Breathe program, which was established with the goal of equipping every fire station in America and Canada with pet oxygen masks. The Invisible Fence Company of Pittsburgh, located in Greensburg and the Invisible Fence Company of Western PA have both been very active in their efforts to gain awareness and fulfill the program for this part of Pennsylvania. To date, through these two dealers, over 200 masks have been donated and nationally, over 10,000 are now on first responder vehicles ready for use.

When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives are turned upside down, said Albert Lee, Director of Invisible Fence Brand. Pets are valued family members, so we want families to know that their pet can be cared for if tragedy strikes.

These masks truly are blessings for the Armstrong County area, said Lt. Luke Linnon Weve seen residents run back into burning homes to save a pet. Its understandable, but extremely dangerous. These masks will give residents comfort in knowing that we can save their pets if they are suffering from smoke inhalation.

The donation event was held at the Manor Township Volunteer Fire Department and included instruction on how to recover a frightened pet, first aid and pet CPR demonstration and Pet Oxygen Mask training. We are honored to be working with pet professionals like CART, Pet Emergency Training and Learning to Lead to fully equip and train first responders. said Carolyn Mento co-owner of Invisible Fence of Pittsburgh. It is not easy to find, rescue and treat a pet during the randomness of a fire. But this training gives first responders the tools to make a difference when they are out there. A reported 120+ pets have been saved by the nationally donated masks so far, including a number of dogs and cats in our area.

Armstrong County is now joining the ranks of cities like Pittsburgh, Denver, Chicago and Memphis, who have all received donated pet oxygen masks from Project Breathe program.

We still have a long way to go, says Mento of the efforts to succeed in the programs mission, But every donation takes us a step further.

Invisible Fence Brand has set up a website, http://www.invisiblefence.com/O2 where people or companies can assist with contributions.

About Invisible Fence Brand Invisible Fence Brand is the original electronic pet containment system and offers a comprehensive family of containment, avoidance, and access products to keep pets out of harm’s way and prevent unwanted behaviors throughout both the home and yard. Owned by Radio Systems Corporation in Knoxville, Tenn., Invisible Fence Brand solutions are sold nationwide by professional, authorized dealers who provide Perfect Start Pet training and custom installation that have safely contained over 2 million pets. Invisible Fence Brand has taken pet care beyond the home and started the Project Breathe program, which has donated more than 10,000 pet oxygen masks to fire departments and first responders. For more information on Invisible Fence Brand or to find a local dealer, visit http://www.invisiblefence.com.

A trained dog can better help us in family life, and become a good family companion dog. However, many parents in the process of training dogs may don’t careful to use the appropriate method. Remember the following points should not do during training process and let training work more smoothly.

1. Don’t severe punishment for dog To the dog not to promote use corporal punishment. Same as child, there are a lot of dogs will produce negative mentality from the pain, it is easy to backfire. Severe punishment will only let the dog do more severe on next behavior, and the wrong behavior more frequently. If the dog bite bad things, first of all to make sure that the dog’s teeth growth or not, if it is, you can buy some molar items for dog using, that can reduce the bite frequency of other items. However, parents beat dog which use bite broken item, if this item is parent’s clothes and will let the dog do remember the smell of this item, and dog probably will continue to bite the parents of other things.

2. Don’t easy shouting with dog not obedient The dog can’t understand the human language, but it can understand people’s mood. When parents down the order to dog, but the dog do not understand, only can vaguely in situ looked at parents. At this time, some parents will try so hard and may shouting, and that will only backfire.

3. Don’t force dog when it can’t understand order Give order to dogs, the dog may not able to absorb, if parents give high pressure may make it produces self-abandoned and bad mood. This will be a vicious circle, let the dog more and more nervous, even can’t do parents given order.

4. Don’t pull up dog collar; too much force will damage the dog’s neck A big size dog should choose belt material collar; a small size dog can use plastic buckle collar. But no matter what material collar, you can pull up hard, because this will get serious damage on dog cervical vertebra, even cause life risk.

5. Don’t punish dog late when they make mistakes The dog intelligence is lower than human being; usually they don’t know that they make the troubles. If you really want to give dog a lesson, must do it on time when done something wrong, so the dog can understand and remember.

6. Don’t use the way of jejunitas to punish the dog Don’t give food or water to punish dog which has great harm to dog’s health; especially the young and old dog, so don’t suggest use this way into the training process.

If you want to be a good dog owner, you should treat them kindly and tender, and you also should shop cheap dog beds for them. And dogs need dog raincoat when you training them outdoor. Talkaboutpet also has cat sweaters with big discount!