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New Zealand Detector Dogs have the most highly qualified and trained staff in the private sector of NZ. Our staff have long and proven backgrounds as professional dog handlers and trainers from New Zealand's leading government agencies - Police and MAF Biosecurity (MPI). Our team are experienced, specialist drug detector dog handlers and trainers, with proven backgrounds and the qualifications to back it up.
Not only are our handlers amongst the best in the country, but most are qualified, recognised trainers in their specific fields. Our experience has given us a wide-reaching depth of knowledge, covering drug detection, biosecurity, Police dogs, explosive detection, drug screening, drug testing and detecting drugs in the workplace. Our drug dog teams are one of the most effective solutions to drug detection and deterrence available. Screening at our international borders and ports has to be at the highest possible level and our extensive experience has given us the reputation as being the leading service provider of detector dogs in the private sector of New Zealand.
Experience and knowledge is vital as scent detector dog handlers are required to be 'expert witnesses' and need to have documented and proven backgrounds to support any legal, employment or procedural proceedings which may occur as a result of a dog indication. Our wide range of experience is not only in providing highly trained K9 teams for the purpose of drug, explosives or biosecurity detection, but we also have extensive knowledge in the training and certification of specialist detector dogs, detector dog breeding and sourcing and also the programme development and management of specialist scent detector dogs which has been acknowledged at international and ministerial level.
In addition to our vast and wide-ranging dog handling experience, our handlers are also qualified collectors for urine drug screening, drug testing and have completed advanced training in managing drug and alcohol issues in the workplace.
Our handlers are recognised experts with Police and Biosecurity backgrounds who have extensive experience in law enforcement, border protection and managing any issues they may detect in your workplace and can give expert guidance at every step of the process.
Our Drug and Explosive handlers are dedicated to getting the best out of our K9's and provide our clients with the highest level of service and advice regarding how to manage the risks we detect in their organisation. Our level of expertise is second to none in the private enterprise of NZ.
Janet’s background is as a detector dog handler, senior handler, Canine Operations Supervisor and Airport Team Manager responsible for the Biosecurity Detector Dog teams from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry that covered all the major international airports across New Zealand protecting our borders from 1997 – 2009. |
Janet also developed New Zealand’s first Paua Detector Dog Programme in a Government Inter-agency agreement between MAF and the Ministry of Fisheries with specialist dogs trained to detect illegally gathered and smuggled paua. This initiative was recognised at the Ministerial level and acknowledged as having a major impact in reducing the levels of a valuable natural resource being smuggled at our international borders. In 1996, through Massey University Janet completed the Veterinary Science Extramural Paper ‘Principles of Canine Behaviour’, passing with an A grade. Janet also spent 13 years in the New Zealand Police, working in Incident cars, Crime Control Unit, Recruiting, Diplomatic & Witness Protection Squad, Eagle Helicopter Aircrew member and was a qualified Police Intelligence Analyst. Janet received a number of commendations and recommendations for commendations during her Police career. "Janet developed, reviewed and updated the entire training documentation of the MAF Detector Dog Programme. Apart from the enormity of the task, the end result is a true asset to MAF. Janet's range of expertise in canine operations spans a wide spectrum, encompassing breeding and training through to validation systems. It is unusual to have this breadth of knowledge and experience in one person." Jeff Trevella, National Manager MAF Quarantine Service. |
Sarah Dyer- Drug Dog Handler/Trainer- North IslandSarah joins NZ Detector Dogs as NZ's most experienced handler/trainer of Biosecurity Detector Dogs. |
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Sarah has also competed in agility and obedience disciplines getting to Senior in agility and Test A in Obedience at National Levels. She has completed the Veterinary Sciences Extramural paper "Principles of Canine Behaviour" through Massey University and is also attended the Animal and Technology & Veterinary Nursing course at UNITEC and qualified as a Vet Nurse with Credit. |
Scott Williams - Dog Handler/Canine TrainingScott was a member of the NZ Police for over 31 years. Twenty-one of those years being a NZ Police Dog handler and Regional Training Sergeant in the Auckland Police Dog Section. |
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Noeline Tierney - General Manager (Drug Dog Handler South Island) |
Noeline has come to NZDDS with over 14 years of experience as a specialist scent detector handler, working for the Ministry of Primary Industries from 2006 - 2020. While with MPI Noeline was both an Active Detector Dog handler and also a Passive Detector Dog handler, both highly specialised roles. Noeline worked at NZ's international borders screening at passengers and cargo at the Ports, International Mail Centre, International Airports and Cruise ships across NZ, both in Auckland and then Christchurch. |
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Kevin Plowright - Drug Dog Handler - North IslandNZ Detector Dogs are pleased to have Kevin Plowright as part of our team. Kevin a highly skilled detector dog handler also has a wealth of experience in the handling, management, and rehabilitation of dogs as well as being one of the most recognised ‘faces’ of Animal Welfare in New Zealand.In 2002 Kevin completed National Certificates in Animal Welfare Investigations, Animal Compliance & Regulatory Control and completed a Certificate in Applied Canine Behaviour. From 2002 – 2005 Kevin worked as an Animal Welfare/Animal Control Officer with the Waitakere City Council. In 2005 Kevin joined the SPCA Auckland as an Animal Welfare Inspector. His role involved the investigation, prosecution removal & seizure of ill-treated animals. While in this role Kevin fostered and rehabilitated the dogs himself so they could go on to be successfully rehomed. |
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Wanting to expand his skills to detection dog handling Kevin joined the now Ministry of Primary Industries as a Biosecurity Detector Dog handler in 2007 and worked a number of active response dogs screening our borders for biosecurity risk items at the International Mail Centre, International Cargo Centre and also screening international cruise ships at the ports of arrival. In 2010 Kevin returned to the SPCA Auckland as the Senior Animal Welfare Inspector. He carried out a number of high-profile investigations which led the successful prosecutions of the perpetrators’ involved in the animal cruelty or animal neglect under the Animal Welfare Act 1999. Due to his highly successful work and the outcomes he achieved for the animals in 2013 he received the SPCA New Zealand Certificate of Excellence and in 2017 he received the SPCA Auckland Individual Excellence Award ‘Rona’s Roar’. As part of this award, Kevin spent two weeks with the Namibian Wildlife Sanctuary working with rescued African Painted wild dogs and the release and tracking of a rescued/relocated leopard. |
Throughout his time with the SPCA Kevin was passionate about the fostering and rehabilitation of the dogs that were difficult or badly traumatised by their experience and taking many into his own home. Kevin provided canine training sessions for the SPCA staff and was the driving force behind the SPCA building it's first K9 confidence course to help damaged dogs form confidence and bonds with humans. The course was inspired by Kevin’s own K9 confidence course that he created to help build the environmental confidence for the dogs in his care. Kevin is now the handler of Skylar, herself a rescue dog that spent the first year of her life at the end of a chain and being beaten if she made any noise. If anyone can understand what this beautiful young dog has been through – it is Kevin, and already they are proving to be an awesome team! |
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