Massachusetts county first to use COVID-sniffing dogs

Law enforcement officials in Massachusetts are using four-legged officers to sniff out COVID-19 much in the same way they look for heroin, explosives and other dangerous items.

"Bristol County and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have come so far since the pandemic started last year," Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson said in a statement. "Today, festivals are happening, restaurants are full and concert venues are packed. We’ve made so much progress, and our new COVID-19 detection program is one way the people of Bristol County can stay ahead of the curve." Like drugs and weapons, COVID-19 has a unique odor, which two Sheriff's Office canines are trained to find. The dogs – Huntah and Duke --  graduated training Wednesday. They are stepsiblings who were born two weeks apart with the same father but different mothers, officials said.