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Dog Gentry The Philadelphia Fire Department became part of the "Accelerant Detection Canine Program" when Gentry, a black Labrador Retriever, was certified in April 16, 1994. In 1999, Gentry responded to 52 fire scenes and proved to be 96.0% effective in finding an accelerant. The "Accelerant Detection Canine Program" was initiated as a result of a feasibility study by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, forensic chemist, Richard Strobel, and ATF dog trainer Robert Knoll. The study concluded a canine could be conditioned to differentiate between accelerants and similar chemical gases normally present at a fire scene. Therefore, the canine could become an extremely effective investigative tool for solving arson crimes.