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DVD Dogs Sniff Out Pirates

MPAA enlists canine crimefighters for battle against counterfeiters

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 12, 2008 8:27 AM CDT

(Newser) – Two dogs trained to sniff out counterfeit DVDs are so good at their jobs that infuriated pirates have put a bounty on their heads, Wired reports. The dogs—Labrador retrievers who were taught to detect the scent of polycarbonate—have helped locate millions of fake discs hidden in warehouses and underground disc-duplication operations in the US, Malaysia, and the Czech Republic, helping put dozens of counterfeiters behind bars.

The pooches' success has inspired cops around the world to start up their own canine disc-sniffing units. The Motion Picture Association of America's anti-piracy boss got the idea in 2004 when he thought back to the bomb- and drug-sniffing dogs he encountered as a federal prosecutor. They still can't tell pirated from authentic DVDs, though—and forget sniffing out illegal downloads.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Two black labrador dogs, Lucky and Flo, sit next to boxes containing pirated optical discs after the "Operation Double Trouble" demonstration at the main air cargo complex in Sepang, Malaysia, (AP Photo/Andy Wong, FILE)

Manny, a DVD-sniffing Malaysian dog, died last month aged 1 and foul play by counterfeiters is suspected. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Flo, a DVD sniffer dog, waits for her reward after finding a box of pirated discs in Toronto, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007. (AP Photo)

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DVD Dogs Sniff Out Pirates