Customs’s veteran sniffer gets final a-paws

Customs department officers drop off Urnya Labrador at Fiza Farm. She will be in the care of Fiza Shah, an animal rights activist

After serving eight years in Mumbai Customs, Urny, the nine-year-old sniffer dog, is enjoying her retirement at Fiza Farm in Virar. During service, she helped the Customs and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), solve multiple cases involving smuggled goods and drugs at the airport.

Urny, a Labrador, joined the Customs in December 2013 and retired on January 31 this year. The entire Customs department at the airport bid her farewell with much fanfare to express their gratitude for her service. Her handler S T Salvi said Urny was a disciplined canine and was stunning at her work.

In September 2021, the Customs, with the help of Urny, seized 3.584 gm heroin. Before that, she sniffed out methaqualone twice in 2015; once 2 kg worth R2 crore and 74 kg later in June. Among other drugs she helped catch are psychotropic substances. Urny has also helped DRI in their search for Narcotics on several occasions, including cocaine weighing 500 gm on June 3, 2021.

Animal rights activist Fiza Shah, who runs Fiza Farm in Virar, has adopted Urny. She has hosted a number of service dogs from state police and various central agencies since 2016, including Max, Tiger, Sultan and Caesar who were part of the bomb detection and disposal squad during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. They died during the course of investigation, and Shah built a special graveyard for these soldiers in her farm.

Shah told mid-day, "The police call me every time one of their dogs is set to retire... These dogs are soldiers. They spent years in the service of our country, and now, it is my duty to serve such brave soldiers." Shah has a six-acre farm and currently has 300+ birds and animals.