Webinar: Canine Units
Join us at 6pm on Thursday 27th November 2025 for an online webinar with experts from around the world.
This webinar will focus on the use of canine units in rhino conservation and will provide an in-depth look at:
- An introduction to the dog handlers
- The relationship between dog and handler
- How the dogs are looked after and kept safe and healthy
- Hopes for the future
The discussion will be chaired by our CEO, Jo Shaw, with insights from:
- ‘Lucky‘, Dog Handler from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa
‘Lucky’ has been working at HiP for 7 years and joined the anti-poaching unit as a handler 4 years ago.
- Joseph Kisio, Deputy Head of Anti Poaching from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya
Joseph Piroris is the Deputy Head of the Anti-Poaching Unit at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Northern Kenya. Joseph joined Lewa in 2012, where he worked as a field ranger before being promoted to lead Lewa’s Canine Unit in 2018. From his entry-point rank, Joseph has steadily risen to his current position due to his determination and passion for protecting wildlife. For Piroris, working as a ranger is not merely a job; it is an irresistible calling that he says is a fulfilling and purposeful path that intertwines his deep love for nature with a commitment to positively impacting the world around him.
- Joyce Chamwenga, K9 Unit Commander, North Luangwa Conservation Programme, Zambia
Joyce Chiluba serves as the Senior Canine Trainer and Unit Commander for the North Luangwa Canine Unit under the North Luangwa Conservation Programme (NLCP). Originally from the communities surrounding North Luangwa National Park, Joyce began her career as one of the first locally recruited canine handlers, not long after the unit was established in 2015.
Since her intake (recruitment in 2017), Joyce has advanced from handler to certified trainer, earning dual certification with the American Society for Canine Trainers (ASCT). She now manages day-to-day operations, training, and welfare for the canine team, and plays a central role in mentoring junior handlers and developing local leadership within the unit.
Joyce’s expertise includes training dogs to detect illegal wildlife products—such as ivory, pangolin scales, bushmeat, firearms, and ammunition—at roadblocks, in villages, and during operations, largely in collaboration with regional investigations units. Her leadership has contributed to the unit’s reputation as one of Africa’s top canine teams, with a proven record of high-impact arrests and seizures.
She is also responsible for maintaining high standards of canine welfare, overseeing daily kennel inspections, health monitoring, and veterinary care. Joyce has been instrumental in the successful relocation of the unit to new kennels at Mano Camp, improving both operational efficiency and the health of the dogs.
Joyce is passionate about building local capacity, promoting gender equality, and inspiring young people—especially women—to pursue careers in conservation. Her commitment to excellence, community engagement, and wildlife protection continues to drive the success of the Canine Unit and the broader conservation mission in North Luangwa.