At Aegis Environmental, we have used the super sense of smell a dog has for environmental applications, specifically detecting petroleum contamination. Like dogs trained to locate chemical traces of accelerants for arson investigations, our scent dog, Piper, is trained to detect traces of petroleum such as crude oil, diesel fuel, and gasoline. It is estimated that dogs can detect scents 40 feet underground. When petroleum is found in numerous locations, Piper is trained to pinpoint the area where petroleum concentration is greatest. At this time, Piper has retired from fieldwork. She is routinely in the office every afternoon.
Piper The Scent Specialist
During fieldwork, Piper’s handler will aid her towards success in multiple ways. This includes utilizing all known information about the site and the suspected contaminants. Piper’s handler will draw upon his experience to develop a search plan, giving Piper the best opportunity to locate the desired odors. When, or if, anything of interest is found, the area is marked, and the appropriate professionals will take over. Dogs can detect trace amounts of materials, which would be almost impossible to find using other means. Piper is a valuable and unique asset trained to help site investigators locate the area where contamination is present. Ultimately it is up to the investigator to ensure the information provided by Piper’s search is valid and used in a valuable way.
When putting Piper on a job site, our goal is to identify the source of contamination quickly, potentially saving time and money in investigation costs for our clients.
FAQs About Piper The Scent Specialist (Scent Dog)
Is Piper really a scent dog or simply an office pet?
Piper fulfills both roles at Aegis and is our most popular employee among people calling the office; many people want to hear more about Piper. She spends most afternoons in our Greenwood office relaxing and visiting our team members in their office. She is a highly trained scent dog.
What kind of dog is Piper?
Piper is an English Cream Retriever, a breed very similar to Golden Retrievers. The most apparent difference between a Golden and an English Cream Retriever is their coats’ color; English Cream Retrievers are generally lighter in color.
What is she trained to find?
Piper is trained to find petroleum contamination. Piper can detect traces of petroleum such as crude oil, diesel fuel, and gasoline.
What happens when petroleum is in multiple locations on the property?
When petroleum is present in numerous locations, Piper will pinpoint where the petroleum concentration is the greatest. Piper will “paw” the area where she detects petroleum to communicate her find with her handler.
