Since the beginnings of our deeply rooted relationship, humans have utilized the greater than 220 million scent-sensitive cells available for canine olfaction to sniff out a wealth of information. Whether it’s a lost hiker, the point source of air pollutants, or a melanoma, this canine sensory ability has proven its worth and new uses continue to emerge. Behavioral tests reveal that dogs can distinguish odors of different species of animals and their sign (e.g., scat, urine, hair, dens), proving invaluable in conservation programs for rare or endangered species.

Working Dogs for Conservation (WDC) formed in 2000 to collect information-rich wildlife samples using specially trained dogs, utilizing techniques similar to those used in search and rescue, narcotic, and cadaver detection disciplines. Deployed conservation dogs have increased scat sample collection rates and detect samples that are smaller and more cryptic than people alone are capable of detecting. In addition, our dogs have located both live animals and plants.