At WEST, every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day for our Detection Dog Teams. WEST’s detection dogs are highly trained, each one half of a dedicated handler-dog unit. Under the guidance of our experienced Detection Dog Coordinators, these dogs are trained to locate bird and bat fatalities at wind energy facilities, as well as box turtles, burrowing mammals, carnivores, and more.
Between field seasons, dogs continue developing the skills that support operational readiness, including wildlife neutrality and complex odor puzzles, while living full, enriching lives with their handler-owners.
At WEST, the well-being of every team member matters. Our handlers are committed to the physical and mental health of their four-legged colleagues, and each dog’s continued participation in fieldwork is contingent on their own enjoyment of the role.
Learn more about our detection dog teams at work in this recently published paper: Effect of carcass storage condition on searcher efficiency trials for conservation detection dogs – Ciecka – The Journal of Wildlife Management – Wiley Online Library
