DVD dogs on the prowl
p2p news / p2pnet: We had a couple of emails, yesterday, asking if our post on the DVD dogs was really, really true. Like, No Way are they going to have ODSNs (optical disc sniffer dogs).
Way.
Flo and Lucky, two black labs, are ’specially trained’ to sniff out optical discs, said our story, based on a Sky News video. Now, to confirm it, “The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), express delivery company FedEx and HM Revenue & Customs, has [sic] joined forces to launch an exciting new initiative to help combat DVD piracy,” brags a press release we received this morning from the (wait for it) MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America).
“As part of a project promoted by the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA), FACT instigated the training of two black Labradors named Lucky and Flo by one of the world’s leading experts in the field whose other clients include police, fire and rescue service,” it says earnestly.
“The dogs were trained over an eight month period to identify DVDs that may be located in boxes, envelopes or other packaging, as well as discs concealed amongst other goods which could be sold illegally in the UK.”
For their first major live test, “Lucky and Flo were put to work at FedEx’s UK hub at Stansted Airport and were immediately successful in identifying packages and parcels containing DVDs for destinations in the UK.”
Hilarious : ) ” … parcels containing DVDs for destinations in the UK”
Neither FACT, FedEx or HM Revenue & Customs say how the dogs can tell the difference between ‘legal’ and ‘illegal’ discs. But in the interests of truth and justice, that’s a mere detail.
“Lucky and Flo’s immediate success in locating DVDs in transit offers us a new and highly effective means of detection for counterfeit discs,” quoth MPAA spokeswoman Mary Callahan.
When he was able to stop laughing, “As an organization, we are delighted to work with FACT and FedEx to help stop the trade in counterfeit DVDs,” said HM Revenue & Customs detection manager Ian Chadwick.
Also See:
DVD dogs – DVD sniffer dogs, May 8, 2006
May 10th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
The proposition that a dog can discriminate between pirate and non pirate disk is absurd.
This article shows how dumb the Motion Picture Association of America and movie industry executives really are. Today I am selling my shares in movie companies.
May 10th, 2006 at 6:52 pm
this photo shows what happened when the dogs tried to get to me:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/catflap/9780d7ad.jpg
the sniffer dogs can’t get through my flap.
May 10th, 2006 at 6:55 pm
how come they’re listing to the right?
May 10th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
Because they’re very conservative
May 10th, 2006 at 11:05 pm
“Hey, Lucky, I think I’ve detected some nasty illegal pirate DVDs in this box”
“Careful, Flo, are you sure they’re evil profit-stealing copied DVDs or legitimately-created data DVDs possibly containing confidential data?”
“I haven’t a clue, but the nice MPAA man gives me a biscuit if I find discs, so what the hell, I’m barking for it”
May 11th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
If this isn’t a joke, somebody is really desperate (and clueless). What about hard drives, pen drives, and email … Walks away, scratching head, muttering incoherently….
May 11th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
They can only sniff out optical discs, right?
May 11th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
Of course they found nothing illegal. Once again the MPAA making a big deal about nothing rather than put their own houses in order.
Anything to go into denial about poor, expensive movies or the fact that most of it leaks from the MPAA members and industry insiders.
May 12th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
This story ridicules MPAA but is totally unnecessary. MPAA is doing a gerat job at ridiculizing themselves.
September 25th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Great….they hit on ALL dvd’s and cd’s. Kind of like drug dogs hitting on Tylenol.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:08 am
Why only let dogs do this job?
We humans can do it too! And hey, for a free home, free food, and a loving owner… i’d do it for sure!
Want proof?
http://forums.speedlabs.org/index.php?topic=1815.msg29524#msg29524