Sniffer Dogs Become Redundant and Retire Early as More States Legalize Cannabis

Published on November 26, 2018

The legalization of cannabis in states across North America isn’t just affecting humans, but animals, too, as sniffer dogs whose services are no longer required are being forced into early retirement.

Sniffer dogs are trained to pick up the scent of illegal drugs. But now cannabis is no longer banned in some U.S. states and Canada, the skills of older dogs are becoming more of a hindrance than a help, The New York Times reported.

Tommy Klein is chief of the police department in Rifle, Colorado: one of the U.S. states where marijuana is legal.

He told The Times: “A dog can’t tell you, ‘Hey, I smell marijuana’ or ‘I smell meth.” They act the same for whatever drug they have been trained to track down, he said. Read More