Ponteareas will host three prominent events this weekend as part of the European Police and Fire Games, specifically centred on canine units. The competitions will showcase the agility and tracking abilities of rescue dogs.
The municipality will feature three different disciplines. The first, 'Search in large areas', will take place on grounds behind the Convent of Canedo. The second event, 'Search in rubble and collapsed structures', will be held in an open field area in Ribadetea, while the third, 'Search by scent reference', will again occur near the Convent of Canedo.
The Ponteareas Canine Unit, led by firefighter Jesús Rodríguez, currently has a team of eight dogs and their respective handlers. For this significant European event, five dogs will represent the municipality: Rocky, Boby, Dana, Ares, and Xena.
Institutional support
The selection of Ponteareas as the venue for these trials was a direct result of a request from the Games' organisers, who received full cooperation from the local government and the Canine Unit. Emergency councillor Juan Carlos González personally coordinated the validation of the grounds with the organisers and highlighted this milestone. He stated, 'From the moment the project was presented to us, the Concello has supported the establishment of the Canine Unit, and we continue to do so today due to the significant social importance of their work.' He also wished the best of luck to the local representatives in the Games, hoping for excellent results.
Ponteareas' mayor, Nava Castro, expressed her satisfaction at the municipality becoming the focal point of this international event, stating, 'It is a pride for Ponteareas to host a competition of this level. We are putting all our resources at the disposal of the event to ensure its success and to establish our municipality as a reference for hosting high-quality international sports events.' Nava also wished the municipal canine unit good luck in the Games.
The expectations for the Ponteareas Canine Unit are high, following excellent results in the previous edition held in 2024 in Braga, Portugal. In that tournament, the dog Ares, alongside his handler Jesús Rodríguez, secured second place in the 'Search in large areas' event and fourth place in the 'Search in rubble and collapsed structures' category. Despite this success, Rodríguez remains cautious about the possibility of replicating or improving on their achievements from 2024, although he optimistically noted, 'We will manage to achieve something.'
