Aeroflot newly unveiled its canine unit at an official event. The service comprises the Shalaika hybrid bred exclusively for the Russian airline.
Aeroflot has registered its own Shalaika breed of sniffer dogs with the Russian Cynological Federation. The unveiling of the canines took place at Sheremetyevo International Airport. Said event was attended by the cynology community and Shalaika breeder, Klim Sulimov.
The pack was presented by the airline’s Deputy Head of Aviation Security, Azat Zaripov, and Sheremetyevo Security Deputy CEO, Akexander Shalov. Both the carrier and airport use the dogs to ensure safety and security on the ground and aboard the group’s aircraft.
They are a Russian hybrid originating from an initial cross-breed of two Lapponian Herders and a pair of Turkmen golden jackals. The breed was developed by Sulimov, a renowned biologist. Since 2001, they have served as sniffer dogs. Aeroflot has about 50 dogs today.
Building on the successes of the service, the brand has introduced olfactory monitoring, a hardware and software system featuring special gear for the animals. The system identifies the nature of the substances detected and transmits the intel to an operator’s computer.
