Senior Police Constable Chiu Yu-kwan, handler of eight-year-old Rose, told Offbeat about how thrilled he was when Doctor Pet, a non-government organisation, honoured the three police dogs in September.

He and his canine partner have assisted in many crime investigations ever since they teamed up in 2000. One of those he recalled vividly was a burglary in Wong Chuk Wan Village, Sai Kung last year. When they arrived at the scene, the burglar had fled for over two hours, and officers had the whole place searched inside out but found no clues. Rose, however, went up a hill slope 200 metres away and sniffed out most of the stolen property, including a notebook computer, a brand name handbag, as well as some clothes.

It is taken for granted that dogs can sniff out anything instantly. Sometimes it is not such case as SPC Chiu explained: "All too often, sniffing dogs are called out to the scene hours after a crime has occurred. By the time the sniffing dog arrives, the scene has already been severely tampered with as everything has been searched by officers, who leave their scents alongside those of criminals or contraband. The dog will not be able to tell at once which scent to pick up. To make matters worse, scent dissipates. Just imagine the mess at the scene and the time lost, and you will realise our difficulties."

That is why SPC Chiu felt so proud when his canine partner managed to achieve what so many people had failed. He said the sense of satisfaction is far beyond words.

Hilton's achievements are no less impressive. He and his handler, SPC Li Ka-fai, having been working together since 2003, were credited with assisting the Narcotics Bureau with the seizure of 192 kg of methamphetamine hydrochloride (commonly known as "Ice") at Kwai Chung Container Terminal last December. With a retail value of $65 million, the drug was concealed in carton boxes of monosodium covered by wooden boards along with other cargoes, posing some difficulties for Hilton.

The drug seizure, however, was a piece of cake for Hilton, compared with his job in a crowded Wan Chai disco last year. The disco was packed with about 400 people and fraught with the smell of food, perfume, alcohol, and tobacco, presenting a lot of distraction and interference to Hilton. Yet the eight-year-old Labrador managed to sniff out 53 bags of ketamine and 22 tablets of MDMA.

Police Dog Unit Senior Inspector Penny Chan Man-wing pointed out that the success in the disco was a good example of Labrador's keen sense of smell because a thorough search by officers turned up nothing. He noted: "Without proper training and excellent communication between the handler and the dog, the drugs could not have been found."

Sniffers' performances are so good that their services are in demand by more Formations. Last year, duty call-outs for dangerous drugs and tracking rose to 468 from 306 in 2004. The latest figure in 2006 stood at 344 in September.

Muttley, a German Shepherd deployed to the Emergency Unit of Kowloon West, has a different story to tell. The eight-year-old patrol dog has been fighting crime with Sergeant Yung Wai-ming since 2001. So far, the pair has made over 10 arrests on the streets for various offences, including wounding, pickpocketing, assault and fighting.

SGT Yung still remembers how he and Muttley flushed out an assailant in a wounding case in Mongkok this May. Muttley joined a sweeping operation when he led officers to the roof and located the assailant. Mongkok District Commander later commended the pair for a job well done.

Muttley never flinches when confronted by violent criminals, but in front of the good citizens, he is very tame and friendly. In fact, Muttley is a member of the Police Dog Demonstration Team, performing his anti-crime skills in front of the public on many occasions.

From left: Rose, Muttley and Hilton with their handlers