Home » News » Health
August 13. 2012 10:21PM
Logan, a collie mix from Michigan, detects the scent of human waste along areas of the beach at Fort Foster last week, as part of a week-long effort by Environmental Canine Services to detect human sources of bacteria in area waterways. (COURTESY)
Canines keen on sniffing out waste flow into waterways make NH visit
Logan, a collie mix from Michigan, detects the scent of human waste along areas of the beach at Fort Foster last week, as part of a week-long effort by Environmental Canine Services to detect human sources of bacteria in area waterways. (COURTESY)
PORTSMOUTH — Not to be crude, but it should come as no surprise that dogs have a keen nose for sniffing out, well, excrement.
Two dogs from Michigan are using that sense to track and stop the flow of waste into waterways and onto beaches.
Sable, a German shepherd mix, and Logan, a Collie mix, were in New Hampshire and southern Maine recently to sniff out problem areas in several communities.
Scott and Linda Reynolds started Environmental Canine Services LLC in Michigan, and only recently branched out west. Last week was their first visit to New England with a team.
Wednesday, the two dogs and their trainers put on a demonstration for about 60 local, state and federal public works officials who gathered to talk about bacteria and water waste.
The day's event was spearheaded by FB Environmental, a private firm with offices in Portsmouth and Portland, Maine.
Sally Soule, coastal watershed coordinator with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, said the day was focused on the different approaches people can use to track down sources of bacteria in their water and fix the problem. The dogs were one example.
“Bacteria is kind of tough to track down and the goal is to bring together folks wanting to solve the bacteria problem at a state, private and local level,” Soule said.
She said discussions also focused on how to make efforts effective and cost-efficient.
Soule said bacteria in water is obviously bad, and usually means “poop.”
“Determining whether it is human or another source is important,” Soule said.
The use of dogs to track down human sources of bacteria was new to most attendees at the conference.
On Tuesday, the dogs were in Kittery, Maine, putting their noses to work at Fort Foster.
Amber Harrison, shoreland resource officer for Kittery, said the dogs worked “everywhere” along the beach between the pier and Horn Point. It is not an area common for swimming, but has tide pools.
Harrison said they believe the problem is an outhouse that might be leeching into a nearby marsh. During heavy rain, the bacteria is washed onto the beach. The outhouse was in use for generations until it was closed about two years ago, Harrison said.
She said the dogs hit on the area as a definite source of human waste.
“I definitely feel good about the dogs being there yesterday,” Harrison said. “It gave us a direction we can follow.”
Harrison learned about the dogs through Phyllis Ford and the Spruce Creek Association, who, along with FB Environmental and Kittery, matched funds to bring the dogs east.
Harrison said the cost to Kittery was about $2,000.
On Friday, the dogs were in Exeter.
Bill Boulanger, superintendent of public works and utilities for Dover, said he thinks the dogs are a great idea, and he might look at ways he could use them on the outskirts of town to identify things like old septic systems.
He said it could also be an advantage to use the dogs instead of sending people out to collect samples from every outfall and brook.
The dogs are able to detect human sources of bacteria in water, including septic system failures, sewage leaks and illicit connections to storm sewer systems.
Environmental Canine Services claims to be the first, and only, company in the world to scent train canines as a rapid screening method to track contaminants in storm water.
Harrison said she collected water samples “all day” as the dogs worked, and laboratory tests will be done to back up their results.
gmacalaster@newstote.com
Two dogs from Michigan are using that sense to track and stop the flow of waste into waterways and onto beaches.
Sable, a German shepherd mix, and Logan, a Collie mix, were in New Hampshire and southern Maine recently to sniff out problem areas in several communities.
Scott and Linda Reynolds started Environmental Canine Services LLC in Michigan, and only recently branched out west. Last week was their first visit to New England with a team.
Wednesday, the two dogs and their trainers put on a demonstration for about 60 local, state and federal public works officials who gathered to talk about bacteria and water waste.
The day's event was spearheaded by FB Environmental, a private firm with offices in Portsmouth and Portland, Maine.
Sally Soule, coastal watershed coordinator with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, said the day was focused on the different approaches people can use to track down sources of bacteria in their water and fix the problem. The dogs were one example.
“Bacteria is kind of tough to track down and the goal is to bring together folks wanting to solve the bacteria problem at a state, private and local level,” Soule said.
She said discussions also focused on how to make efforts effective and cost-efficient.
Soule said bacteria in water is obviously bad, and usually means “poop.”
“Determining whether it is human or another source is important,” Soule said.
The use of dogs to track down human sources of bacteria was new to most attendees at the conference.
On Tuesday, the dogs were in Kittery, Maine, putting their noses to work at Fort Foster.
Amber Harrison, shoreland resource officer for Kittery, said the dogs worked “everywhere” along the beach between the pier and Horn Point. It is not an area common for swimming, but has tide pools.
Harrison said they believe the problem is an outhouse that might be leeching into a nearby marsh. During heavy rain, the bacteria is washed onto the beach. The outhouse was in use for generations until it was closed about two years ago, Harrison said.
She said the dogs hit on the area as a definite source of human waste.
“I definitely feel good about the dogs being there yesterday,” Harrison said. “It gave us a direction we can follow.”
Harrison learned about the dogs through Phyllis Ford and the Spruce Creek Association, who, along with FB Environmental and Kittery, matched funds to bring the dogs east.
Harrison said the cost to Kittery was about $2,000.
On Friday, the dogs were in Exeter.
Bill Boulanger, superintendent of public works and utilities for Dover, said he thinks the dogs are a great idea, and he might look at ways he could use them on the outskirts of town to identify things like old septic systems.
He said it could also be an advantage to use the dogs instead of sending people out to collect samples from every outfall and brook.
The dogs are able to detect human sources of bacteria in water, including septic system failures, sewage leaks and illicit connections to storm sewer systems.
Environmental Canine Services claims to be the first, and only, company in the world to scent train canines as a rapid screening method to track contaminants in storm water.
Harrison said she collected water samples “all day” as the dogs worked, and laboratory tests will be done to back up their results.
gmacalaster@newstote.com
