Florida races to catch giant African snails, with the help of sniffer dogs

The giant African land snail, a potential health risk to humans, has once again invaded Florida — and officials are using specially trained dogs to sniff out the invasive species.

Florida's agriculture department has called the giant African snail "one of the most damaging" mollusk subtypes in the world. Its unusually large size and ability to procreate in vast quantities allows the creature to infiltrate surrounding areas quickly, posing threats to vegetation and infrastructure because of its appetite for at least 500 different plants as well as paint and stucco.

"We're concerned with that being in our environment," Jason Stanley, a biologist with Florida's Department of Agriculture, told AFP.