The U.S. Customs and Border Control (CBP) plans to deploy 60 specially trained dogs at international airports, seaports, and border crossings to identify travelers arriving in the country with hidden pork products from regions where outbreaks of African swine fever have been reported.

Dogs are part of the Beagle Brigade Agency, which has been patrolling entry points since the 1980s to protect the country's agricultural sector from diseases of foreign animals. But due to the imminent threat of African swine fever, CBP, together with the US Department of Agriculture, decided to expand their efforts.

“Prevention is our best defense,” said Liz Wagstrom, chief veterinarian at the National Council of Pork Producers.

According to Wagstrom, the agency will need several years to fully train and deploy new dogs at checkpoints. But existing hounds already find hidden pork, for example, in March, the team prevented an attempt to transfer 1 million pounds of pork from China to the United States.

According to government officials, an investigation is ongoing. In addition to dogs, American pig breeding groups are calling on Congress to increase funding for replenishing agricultural inspectors for US ports.

The CPB is missing some 600 inspectors, Wagstrom said.