AU canine program attracts congressional interest
The success of the Auburn Canine Detection Research and Training program in providing detector dog teams to law enforcement agencies, public safety officials and the U.S. military is drawing the interest of Congress. Members and staff from the Homeland Security Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives will tour the AU canine facilities near Anniston on Tuesday, July 22, followed by a hearing on the needs of local first responders. John Pearce, associate director of training and operations, will serve as an expert witness at the hearing and will provide an overview of the AU program that has trained detector dog teams now serving around the country and many places around the world. The program works closely with the AU College of Veterinary Medicine on research to better understand canine athleticism and olfactory systems, or sniffing capability, helping to characterize and assure effective detector dogs.