1,000 dogs volunteer to sniff out invasive species in first-of-its-kind 'canine-citizen science' study

1,000 dogs volunteer to sniff out invasive species in first-of-its-kind 'canine-citizen science' study

1,000 dogs volunteer to sniff out invasive species in first-of-its-kind 'canine-citizen science' study As climate change continues to rear its destructive, uncertain head, canine companions are playing a vital role. There are conservation dogs sniffing out invasive species in nature preserves, helping to clean contaminated waterways, and even avalanche rescue dogs that save people in the great outdoors. Most of these dogs are bred for greatness and train their whole puppyhood to work in these roles. But a recent study from Virginia Tech wondered: Can everyday dogs do the same? Participants Bill Wellborn and 7-year-old Tibetan terrier, Pepe. Photo by Clark DeHart for Virginia Tech In the study, Virginia Tech conducted a first-of-its-kind experiment to see if citizen dog-handler teams can achieve species detection rates comparable to those of professional conservation dogs. Over 1,000 dog owners expressed interest in the study, with more than 40% of them having prior experience in spor…