The six Anti-poison Dog Units have started to work in their respective territories in July 2016, performing on the whole 59 preventive inspections and 21 emergency checks; the latter, which are carried out upon reporting of baits or other suspect materials, gave a positive result in nine cases. In these circumstances, the Units have carefully inspected the area and removed potentially poisoned baits, which might have caused the death of wild or even domestic animals. The nine positive inspections were conducted by the Anti-poison Dog Units stationed in Foreste Casentinesi-Monte Falterona-Campigna National Park, in the province of Isernia (Molise), and in Abruzzo-Lazio-Molise National Park. Thanks to the irreplaceable skills of dogs Puma, Noche, and Africa, these three Units have found no less than 24 suspect baits, four animal carcasses, and further material which proved useful during subsequent investigations.
The first positive inspection of 2017 was performed at the beginning of February near San Sepolcro (Arezzo) by the Anti-poison Dog Unit of the Carabinieri command deployed at Foreste Casentinesi National Park. Malinois Belgian shepherd Puma and her handler found a bait consisting of a sausage stuffed with black granules; the bait was sent to the Veterinary Preventive Medicine Institute of Latium and Tuscany for the necessary analysis.
In 2017 the Units, which so far have worked with only one dog, will be assisted by a second one, already acquired in October 2016 and currently concluding a settling-in period and an improvement  training in the search of poison baits.