Detector dogs are walking the halls of Massachusetts schools in search of COVID-19

NORTON, Mass. (WJAR) — While testing is a critical component in keeping schools open, several Massachusetts school districts are going a step further by bringing in COVID-19 detecting dogs.

The Bristol County Sheriff’s Office is the first law enforcement agency in the country to utilize trained canines.

Norton Middle School was among the fifteen schools so far to schedule a walk-through.

“Huntah” and “Duke” can sweep an area such as a cafeteria, library or hallway, and alert the presence of the odor that is left on surfaces by a person infected with COVID-19.

The canine will sit upon detection.

“We had a case on December 16 where K-9 Officer Santos’ dog, Duke, actually indicated [COVID-19] on a police officer’s desk — and five days later that officer tested positive for COVID,” said Capt. Paul Douglas.

DeEtta Mills is the Director of International Forensic Research Institute and Biology Chairperson at Florida International University.

She visited Norton on Wednesday to certify the dogs in the program created by FIU.

It was modeled after training dogs to sniff out a fungus that killed avocado trees in Florida.

“When we certified our dogs down in Florida they were 97% accurate, which is more accurate than a PCR test,” DeEtta Mills, Director, International Forensics Research Institute & Biology Chair at FIU,” she said.”

The COVID-sniffing dogs have worked in three school districts so far — Norton, Fairhaven, and Freetown-Lakeville.

A spokesperson for Sheriff Thomas Hodgson said a letter with the offer was sent to all superintendents in Bristol County, including catholic and vocational schools. There is no charge to the school.

“It’s a win-win. We’re talking about dogs that are highly trained and at the same time docile and friendlythey’re not looking for anything to do with COVID on a person, they are looking for the surface,” said Norton Superintendent Joseph Baeta.

The Norton School District is doing whatever it can to stop the spread.

On Wednesday 70 staff members were out, including 30 classroom teachers, though not all due to COVID-19. All three guidance counselors were absent at Norton Middle School on Wednesday.

More than 300 students in the district were absent on Tuesday.

Baeta said he’s at the cusp of making a significant decision about staying open because of staffing. Even substitutes are starting to dwindle. “If you can hit something and then get it cleaned and not will allow someone to touch it and potentially pick it up, why not do it?” he said.