Dogs That Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite

by Stephanie Feldstein · 2010-03-22 15:04:00 UTC
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Here's some news to help you sleep tight: specially trained dogs are sniffing out bedbugs, and they're doing it with 96 percent accuracy.

Bedbugs have made a comeback. While they used to only be associated with international travel, they've become common in homes, apartments, offices, and hotels across the U.S. Realtors are starting to encourage their clients to include the pests in their pre-closing inspections. Bedbugs have a tendency to hitch a ride in suitcases and clothing, and once you have an infestation, they're notoriously hard, and expensive, to get rid of.

The incredible canine sense of smell that has helped detect bombs, drugs, and even cancer, is once again coming to the rescue. In recent years, bug-sniffing dogs have become more common nationwide. There's even a certifying organization that was formed by pest control professionals: the National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association.

The New York Times recently followed a day in the life of Cruiser and his handler Jeremy Ecker from the Bed Bug Inspectors, a New York based company. They're an NESDCA accredited team that's been in business for six months. And there's no shortage of clients — last year, the number of verified infestations reported by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development was nearly double the previous year.

Cruiser, and other dogs like him, can sniff out a single bug or egg with significantly greater accuracy than humans can visually spot an infestation. Once the bedbugs are confirmed, the exterminators are called in. The dogs are rewarded for their hard work, and end the day happy with a job well done. The clients' feelings at the end of the day are a bit more dependent on what the dogs found.

Photo credit: dakotaduff

Stephanie Feldstein is a Change.org Editor who has been part of the animal welfare and rescue community for over a decade, and most recently worked for an environmental organization.

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