Real Power Donates Power Boost Wet Food to New Taipei City’s Search-and-Rescue Dogs
To thank the New Taipei City Government’s search-and-rescue dog team for its efforts in disaster relief, Real Power Animal Technology Co., Ltd. donated three formulas of its high-quality canned dog food — Power Boost — on 25 December 2024, supporting the health and training of the rescue dogs with concrete action. The ceremony took place at the Fire Department’s Dapu station, attended by the Special Search and Rescue Brigade’s Commander Chuang Yu-yuan, Section Chief Chou Yu-sheng and Squad Leader Ling Kuo-chih, in a warm and dignified atmosphere.
Rescue dogs expend enormous energy and stamina on duty, and balanced nutrition is the key to keeping them in peak condition. The Power Boost cans donated by Real Power are formulated specifically for dogs — rich in the branched-chain amino acids muscles need, plus vitamins and minerals — to replenish the energy rescue dogs burn through intensive training and rescue missions, helping them maintain strong muscles and work more effectively.
The donation comprised three Power Boost formulas to meet the dogs’ different nutritional needs. Through this gift, Real Power hopes to give the New Taipei City rescue-dog team better logistical support, so these four-legged heroes have all the energy and vitality they need on every mission.
In gratitude for Real Power’s generosity, the Fire Department’s Special Search and Rescue Brigade presented the company with its 2025 calendar, the rescue-dog team calendar and its rhinoceros mascot figure. For frontline handlers, rescue dogs are partners and family; the resources will be put to good use to give the dogs even better care.
Real Power’s donation sets an example of corporate social responsibility, and the company will keep working to improve the welfare of rescue dogs. With support from every corner of society, the New Taipei City rescue-dog team will build an even more professional and capable international disaster-response force — and let the world see Taiwan.
「The bond between a handler and a search-and-rescue dog goes far beyond what most of us imagine. In training they are the perfect partners — supporting each other and growing together. With patience and love, handlers guide their dogs step by step through every difficulty, building a deep relationship of trust. That emotional connection is a key reason rescue dogs can reach their full potential.」
Here are the exercises the New Taipei City Fire Department’s rescue dogs train on most:
Disaster sites are complex and unpredictable, and dogs need a strong body to cope. Ladder training not only familiarises dogs with climbing movements but also builds muscular endurance. Practising repeatedly on different inclines improves stability on uneven ground, laying a solid foundation for future missions.
Rescue sites often mean narrow, dark spaces, and tunnel training helps dogs get used to — and overcome — these conditions. Moving through the tunnel, the dog must conquer fear of the dark and rely on strong muscles to handle both physical and mental pressure. Tunnel training lets dogs move confidently through complex terrain on a mission and reach trapped people in time.
Dogs may have to work on unstable ground. Swing-platform training strengthens the core, improves balance and coordination, and teaches the dog to stay steady and react quickly when the surface shifts. It helps rescue dogs keep their footing on all kinds of difficult terrain and makes missions safer.
Rescue work depends on the dog pinpointing a trapped person. Bark-box training teaches the dog to locate the target precisely and keep signalling at that spot until rescuers arrive. With repeated practice the dog completes searches faster, buying precious time for the people waiting to be found.
A precise, efficient rescue tool: off-leash heelwork is a critical part of rescue-dog training. Through rigorous training the dog follows the handler’s pace exactly and locates targets quickly in complex, changing environments. We focus not only on obedience but on the understanding and trust between handler and dog; with repetition, the handler’s commands become the dog’s instinctive response, delivering peak performance at the decisive moment.
「A rescue dog’s training is proven through rigorous certification. From basic rubble search to the demanding international MRT, every certificate represents the tireless effort of dogs and handlers alike. These certificates are not just honours — they are the passport that allows a rescue dog to join international relief operations. Here are the certification achievements of the New Taipei City Fire Department’s rescue dogs.」
-
March 2023
At the National Fire Agency’s Zhushan Training Centre, the team sat the IRO (International Rescue Dog Organisation) assessment. Wu Wei-yi and Aqua passed RHT-A (intermediate); handler Lai Kuan-chieh and Mulan passed RHT-B (advanced); and handler Lo Hao-fang passed RHT-B (advanced) with two dogs at once — Hulk and Amei.
-
June 2023
At the 2023 National Disaster Search-and-Rescue Dog IRO Assessment, Wu Wei-yi with AQUA and Chen Po-tsun with MANGO passed Level A, while Lo Hao-fang with A-MEI passed Level B.
-
September 2023
New Taipei handler Lo Hao-fang and rescue dog Amei represented Taiwan in Austria and passed the MRT — the most demanding international mission-readiness certification for rescue dogs — setting the best result in Taiwan’s team history. This year all search scenarios had to be completed within 24 hours, raising the difficulty further; beyond the dog’s physical skills, the test places heavy demands on the handler’s tactics, emergency response, canine first aid and search marking.
-
Early March 2024
At the Zhushan Training Centre, at the National Fire Agency’s invitation, the German Federal Rescue Dog Association (BRH) conducted its trailing certification for the first time in Taiwan. Handler Ling Kuo-chih with Bagel and Lai Kuan-chieh with Dashing both passed the BRH trailing certification.
-
Late March 2024
At the Zhushan Training Centre, the team took part in a three-day IRO (International Rescue Dog Organization) assessment. Wu Wei-yi with AQUA and Lo Hao-fang with AMEI both earned advanced rescue-dog certification.
-
April 2024
At the Kaohsiung City Fire Department’s rescue-dog training centre, the team attended a five-day advanced handler course and IRO assessment. Chen Po-tsun and Mango passed RH-TA (intermediate) for the second time with a “G” (good) rating — clearing the way to attempt the advanced level next — while Wu Wei-yi and Aqua passed RH-TB (advanced) once again.
International Rescue Dog Organization
International Rescue Dog Organization
Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Vienna, Austria, the IRO is one of the rescue-dog certification bodies recognised by the United Nations, and the international system Taiwan follows today. A non-profit made up of 130 national rescue-dog organisations from 41 countries, its mission is to raise the standard of rescue-dog training and support humanitarian relief in major disasters worldwide.
Each year the IRO holds the World Championship for Search and Rescue Dogs (WCH), where teams compete to a globally recognised standard, sharpening their training methods and competitiveness.
Mission Readiness Test
Mission Readiness Test
The MRT (Mission Readiness Test) certifies a rescue-dog team’s readiness for real missions:
- The IRO created it to certify capability for major disaster response. Under the INSARAG Guidelines, medium teams must choose either canine or technical search; heavy teams must have both.
- Entry requires an IRO advanced (B-level) certificate.
- Its level is above IRO advanced (B).
- The test runs for 48 uninterrupted hours (the same as a USAR team assessment) across nine separate search scenarios, testing the handler’s tactics, emergency care and search marking at the same time. Teams must find at least 70% of the pre-set victims with no more than one false alert — an extremely demanding standard. European national rescue teams give priority to MRT-certified dogs for major deployments, and Taiwan follows the same benchmark.
Dear handlers and rescue-dog heroes — you are the partners we admire most. Thank you for the extraordinary courage and professionalism you show on every rescue mission.
Real Power will keep providing high-quality pet food and stand behind you as your strongest support. Together with you, we guard every life, so that love and hope can bloom in the hardest-hit places.
