K9 teams compete in first annual International Casino event
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The first annual International Casino and Resort K-9 Trials has made its way to the Las Vegas valley.
During Friday’s event, handlers and the dogs demonstrated their skills to be ranked as the best in various categories.
Ryan Millbern is the president of the International Casino and Resort Working Dog Association and organizer of the event.
“That’s what this organization is for, and today’s event is to bring all these teams together so we can all meet together,” explained Millbern. “When we collaborate training aids, instructors, and all those training areas it really raises the capabilities for all the dogs in the city.”
Training exercises and classes replicate basic patrol, bed bug, firearm, or explosive detection scenarios handlers in casinos, hotels, and airports face every day.
Rocky Magbual is a K-9 officer working alongside Rocket, an 8-year-old yellow lab combing the area for a silent but serious threat: bed bugs.
“We can pick out the actual location of where it’s infested versus fumigating the whole house,” said Magbual.
Bed bug detection is now becoming a routine exercise as Las Vegas is a top tourist destination.
“We train them to find that particular odor which is bedbugs. It could be the actual eggs, alive or dead or their droppings,” Magbual added.
These training exercises also serve as a competition. The dogs are rewarded with points and lots of affection with handlers receiving award plaques at the end of the event.
Milbern told 8 News Now that while the event is about friendly competition it all comes down to elevating safety for employees and the public.
“Nobody wants to see something bad happen and again whether that’s bed bugs, explosives or firearms, it doesn’t matter,” said Millbern. “We all compete amongst each other, whether you work at Caeser’s, Wynn or MGM when it comes to guests and guest services and whatnot but when it comes to security and public safety there are not more rivalries. There are no more competitions. We all train together and work together to make sure everybody’s safe.”
Over 100 people from across the nation signed up for this event and organizers are looking to host a bigger event next year.
