Airport Dogs: Sniffing Out Scents To Keep Us Safe

Dogs have been used at airports for nearly 15 years, and their role in improving airport security and enhancing the passenger experience is well-known. These dogs are trained to detect target scents and alert their handlers. This process is known as imprinting, where the dog learns to recognise and respond to a target odour. The dogs' olfactory sense is highly developed, and their ability to detect chemical signals is roughly 10,000 to 100,000 times that of humans, making them extremely useful in identifying target odours such as drugs, explosives, firearms, and even certain individuals.

Drugs

Drug-sniffing dogs are commonly used at airports to detect illegal substances. Their advanced olfactory senses allow them to identify a wide range of drugs, including:

• Marijuana (cannabis)
• Opium
• Cocaine (including crack cocaine)
• Heroin
• Crystal Meth (methamphetamine)
• Fentanyl
• MDMA (ecstasy, molly)
• Opioids (e.g. codeine, morphine, oxycodone)
• K2 (spice)
• LSD
• Amphetamine

These dogs are trained to detect drugs in various forms, such as dried plant material, oils, edibles, and vape cartridges. Their sense of smell is incredibly precise, allowing them to identify substances hidden in luggage, clothing, and other enclosed spaces. They work silently alongside their handlers, alerting them to the presence of drugs through passive or aggressive cues.

The use of drug-sniffing dogs in airports enhances security and helps combat drug trafficking. Their ability to detect a wide array of narcotics makes them invaluable assets in law enforcement and security settings.

Explosives

The primary role of airport dogs is to detect explosives. The dogs are trained to identify the odour of explosives and the volatile chemical substances used in bomb production, which are undetectable by the human nose.

The dogs' noses contain over 100 million scent receptors, making it impossible to mask the scent of explosives. They can even detect explosives if someone has tried to disguise the smell. The dogs work with their handlers to monitor security checkpoints and screen checked baggage for explosives.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the US first implemented canines into its cargo screening protocols in 2008. The TSA also works with local police forces and the FBI to share best practices and improve canine explosives detection capabilities.

The use of dogs for bomb detection at airports is not a new concept. As early as 1974, a German Shepherd at JFK Airport in New York successfully identified a bomb in a passenger's luggage, potentially saving hundreds of lives.

Today, these canine officers and their handlers play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the flying public. The strong bond between the dog and its handler is essential to their effectiveness, with the handler's emotions and mental state influencing the dog's performance.

Firearms

The presence of firearms in an airport setting is a serious threat to safety and security. Therefore, it is imperative that security dogs are trained to screen for them.

When searching for firearms, dogs are trained to detect the scent of gunpowder. This substance can linger on a gun for weeks after it has been fired, and dogs can easily identify it. The process of searching for firearms is similar to that of detecting explosives and drugs. Covert operations are crucial in this context, as alerting a potential shooter could put countless lives at risk.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States has implemented canine operations at airports to enhance security. TSA canine teams are trained to work alongside their handlers to navigate through large groups of people and pinpoint the source of an explosive or firearm odour. The handlers are skilled at interpreting their dog's change in behaviour when an odour is detected.

The TSA's National Explosives Detection Canine Program is the largest canine explosives detection program within the Department of Homeland Security. It plays a critical role in improving airport security and the passenger experience. The program includes various breeds, such as German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Belgian Malinois, among others.

Contraband food

Airport security dogs are trained to detect a wide range of contraband items, including food products. These detection dogs work alongside their handlers, silently screening passengers and their luggage as they pass through checkpoints. When a dog identifies a potential threat, it gives a subtle cue, such as sitting next to a suspect's bag. This allows the handler to take appropriate action without alerting the suspect.

The presence of these highly trained dogs at airports provides an additional layer of security, ensuring the safety of passengers and staff. Their advanced sense of smell enables them to detect a variety of contraband foods that may be prohibited for entry into a particular country or region.

While the specific foods that are considered contraband can vary depending on local regulations and agricultural concerns, some examples include:

• Fruits and vegetables: Avocados, mangoes, and certain types of sugar cane, fruits, and vegetables may be prohibited when travelling from Hawaii to the mainland US.
• Meat products: Beef candy from China and serrano ham from Spain are examples of meat products that may be confiscated to protect against the introduction of harmful pests and diseases.
• Dairy products: Cheese, butter, and yoghurt may be restricted in some countries to prevent the spread of animal diseases.
• Processed foods: Items such as peanut butter, pasta sauce, and candy can also fall under the category of contraband food, depending on the regulations of the destination country.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen researchers turn to an unlikely source for help in tackling the virus: dogs. With their incredibly sensitive sense of smell, dogs have been trained to detect COVID-19 in humans, and their accuracy is impressive.

Dogs have been used to screen people in airports and other public spaces, and their ability to detect the virus has been found to be comparable to standard PCR tests. In a study published in BMJ Global Health in May 2022, four dogs were trained to sniff out SARS-CoV-2. They were then put to work, sniffing the skin samples of 303 incoming passengers at Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, Finland. The dogs correctly identified 99% of the PCR-negative swab tests and 97% of the PCR-positive cases.

How is this possible? Dogs have about 220 million scent receptors—humans have only 5 million. This means they can detect substances at concentrations of one part per trillion—that's the equivalent of a single drop of liquid in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools. They also inhale up to 300 times per minute, constantly supplying their olfactory cells with new odour particles.

The exact mechanism of how dogs can detect COVID-19 is still unknown. It is thought that they are able to identify distinct volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during various metabolic processes in the body, including those generated by viral infections. These VOCs are given off in sweat, which is used in tests as it is not considered infectious for COVID-19 and presents less risk when handling samples.

The use of dogs as a diagnostic tool could be revolutionary in the fight against COVID-19, particularly in the early stages of a pandemic when other resources may not be readily available. They offer a fast, effective, and non-invasive method of screening, and their highly sensitive noses could be on the front lines to tackle the worldwide pandemic.

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