Swine being trained as part of canine search team
http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aber...s/11419137.htm
Swine being trained as part of canine search team
Associated Press
ABERDEEN, S.D. - A 4-month old pig is being trained to sniff out human cadavers as part of a search dog team.
The pig, named Leana, is one month into her training with the Dakota Territory Search Dogs team to track basic human scents.
"We used to have a lot of old-timers say, `It's a shame that they don't train pigs,' and now we are," said Denny Adams of Conde, who operates the search dog team.
The next step for Leana will be tracking a basic cadaver scent.
Other animals such as llamas have been considered for scent tracking but aren't practical because their size keeps them from getting into smaller spaces or over fences, Adams said.
Leana will be used for cadaver finding before she grows to full size and can't track a scent as easily.
It's about time pigs get recognised for their brilliance, and not just as a food source. I'm having a hard time visualizing a 500lb. pig clamboring around debris in search of human remains though. :eek:
