Page 6 - DATR Open Day 2023

CANINE TRAINING
SQUADRON
Canine Training Squadron (CTS) is the largest Squadron within the Defence Animal Training Regiment (DATR).
Their Mission is to provide Military Working Dogs (MWDs) and Personnel trained in their use and husbandry, in order to meet the needs of Defence. As a joint service establishment, the Squadron is staffed with a range of personnel consisting of Army personnel from the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) and Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel from the RAF Police. They are supported by a large team of around 50 Civil Servants who assist in the training of MWDs, the instruction of new handlers, and play a key role in the routine care and maintenance of all MWDs on site.
In 2022/23, CTS trained 122 MWDs and 278 students and handlers for a variety of roles stretching from operations in the UK to operational deployments overseas.
In 2023/24, CTS are currently on target
to produce a further 130 MWDs and 277 students for Defence. The continued high demand for MWDs throughout Defence demonstrates that the MWD is still as highly regarded for its effectiveness as it has ever been. Throughout the training year CTS will supply trained MWDs for use in many diverse and unique environments such as the tropical jungles of Brunei and Belize, to the cold,
wet, and wintery conditions of the Falkland Islands. Having the ability to deploy MWDs to these remote locations is only made possible by teaching students how to manage and maintain a MWD and its kennel environment in such a way that ensures that MWD welfare is always the primary concern, even in the harshest of conditions.
The MWDs trained at CTS are procured for either a DETECT or PROTECT capability. The PROTECT classification will always
6 | DEFENCE ANIMAL TRAINING REGIMENT