Sensitive nose: This Beagle is one of the five new quarantine detector dogs to soon take up duties at Hong Kong's immigration checkpoints.

Five new quarantine detector dogs have arrived to help combat the smuggling of live animals, such as endangered species, and meat products into Hong Kong.

The three Beagles and two Labradors are aged five months to two years and completed the first part of their training in Australia. They are now kennelled at the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department's Ta Kwu Ling Operation Centre for another three weeks' training with their handlers.

The department and the Centre for Food Safety have jointly introduced the Quarantine Detector Dog Programme to detect smuggling at immigration checkpoints.

The five dogs will be deployed next month. They are trained to screen a large number of travellers and to detect the scent of raw meat and live mammals, birds and reptiles.

Australia, Japan and the Mainland use detector dogs, mainly at airports. The dogs also act as a visible deterrent and a means of public education.