Detection Dogs: Learning to Pass the Sniff Test

Anyone who's been through an airport, crossed national borders, or gone to a public school in the United States has seen detection dogs, noses diligently sniffing for illegal drugs or banned produce and invasive insects.

There are even dogs trained to detect wildlife or wildlife parts, like rhino horns and ivory, that smugglers try to sneak across borders. Just last week, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service graduated their first class of dogs—four retrievers—trained to sniff out illegal wildlife.

But what happens when one of those drugs, fruits, or animals is taken off the list of contraband? The question has gotten new currency since Washington state and Colorado legalized marijuana through voter-approved referendums last fall.

Source: Detection Dogs: Learning to Pass the Sniff Test