Using scent detection dogs in conservation settings: a review of scientific literature regarding their selection.
Dogs are widely used for scent detection work, assisting in searches for, among other things, missing persons, explosives, and even cancers. They are also increasingly used in conservation settings, being deployed for a range of diverse purposes. Although scent detecting dogs have been used in conse...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2016-10-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fvets.2016.00096/full |
| _version_ | 1818617162426744832 |
|---|---|
| author | Sarah Catherine Beebe Tiffani J Howell Pauleen Charmayne Bennett |
| author_facet | Sarah Catherine Beebe Tiffani J Howell Pauleen Charmayne Bennett |
| author_sort | Sarah Catherine Beebe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dogs are widely used for scent detection work, assisting in searches for, among other things, missing persons, explosives, and even cancers. They are also increasingly used in conservation settings, being deployed for a range of diverse purposes. Although scent detecting dogs have been used in conservation roles for over 100 years, it is only recently that the scientific literature has begun to document their effectiveness and, importantly, how suitable dogs should initially be selected by organizations wanting to develop a detection program. In this paper, we review this literature, with the aim of extracting information that might be of value to conservation groups considering whether to invest in the use of dogs. We conclude that selection of appropriate dogs is no easy task. While olfactory ability is critical, so also are a range of other characteristics. These include biological, psychological and social traits. At present, no validated selection tools have been published. Existing organizations have adapted selection instruments from other contexts for their use, but very little published information is available regarding the effectiveness of these instruments in a conservation setting. In the absence of clear guidelines, we urge those wanting to invest in one or more dogs for conservation purposes to proceed with extreme caution and, preferably, under the watchful eyes of an experienced professional. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T17:01:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a5e6160b812b4b27a9c24dd1d4ac918d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T17:01:19Z |
| publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5e6160b812b4b27a9c24dd1d4ac918d2022-12-21T22:23:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692016-10-01310.3389/fvets.2016.00096187937Using scent detection dogs in conservation settings: a review of scientific literature regarding their selection.Sarah Catherine Beebe0Tiffani J Howell1Pauleen Charmayne Bennett2La Trobe UniversityLa Trobe UniversityLa Trobe UniversityDogs are widely used for scent detection work, assisting in searches for, among other things, missing persons, explosives, and even cancers. They are also increasingly used in conservation settings, being deployed for a range of diverse purposes. Although scent detecting dogs have been used in conservation roles for over 100 years, it is only recently that the scientific literature has begun to document their effectiveness and, importantly, how suitable dogs should initially be selected by organizations wanting to develop a detection program. In this paper, we review this literature, with the aim of extracting information that might be of value to conservation groups considering whether to invest in the use of dogs. We conclude that selection of appropriate dogs is no easy task. While olfactory ability is critical, so also are a range of other characteristics. These include biological, psychological and social traits. At present, no validated selection tools have been published. Existing organizations have adapted selection instruments from other contexts for their use, but very little published information is available regarding the effectiveness of these instruments in a conservation setting. In the absence of clear guidelines, we urge those wanting to invest in one or more dogs for conservation purposes to proceed with extreme caution and, preferably, under the watchful eyes of an experienced professional.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fvets.2016.00096/fullOlfactionscentconservationwildlifeScatBiopsychosocial |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Catherine Beebe Tiffani J Howell Pauleen Charmayne Bennett Using scent detection dogs in conservation settings: a review of scientific literature regarding their selection. Frontiers in Veterinary Science Olfaction scent conservation wildlife Scat Biopsychosocial |
| title | Using scent detection dogs in conservation settings: a review of scientific literature regarding their selection. |
| title_full | Using scent detection dogs in conservation settings: a review of scientific literature regarding their selection. |
| title_fullStr | Using scent detection dogs in conservation settings: a review of scientific literature regarding their selection. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using scent detection dogs in conservation settings: a review of scientific literature regarding their selection. |
| title_short | Using scent detection dogs in conservation settings: a review of scientific literature regarding their selection. |
| title_sort | using scent detection dogs in conservation settings a review of scientific literature regarding their selection |
| topic | Olfaction scent conservation wildlife Scat Biopsychosocial |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fvets.2016.00096/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahcatherinebeebe usingscentdetectiondogsinconservationsettingsareviewofscientificliteratureregardingtheirselection AT tiffanijhowell usingscentdetectiondogsinconservationsettingsareviewofscientificliteratureregardingtheirselection AT pauleencharmaynebennett usingscentdetectiondogsinconservationsettingsareviewofscientificliteratureregardingtheirselection |