The University of Washington’s Conservation Canine Program was developed in 1997 to perform scat detection for the center’s Biology program. Pioneering the development and application of dogs to detect fecal-based hormones for the purpose of wildlife and endangered species studies, these conservations have increased detection over large areas and reduced bias common in other sampling techniques.

Scat detection enables researchers to extract DNA and provide information on species, sex and individual animal identities which can then be used to estimate population sizes, genetic diversity and physiological analysis of various animals.

Some of the species of particular interest to the Conservation Canine Program include studies on the Spotted Owl, Sierra Nevada Red Fox, Wolverine, Mexican Wolf, and North American Right Whale. With their amazing sense of smell, these conservation canines can detect scat from great distances, including whale scat detection from one nautical mile away from the source.

When on remote scat detection missions, the Conservation Canines are outfitted in all the appropriate gear—from the Ruff Wear Palisades Pack™ for their supplies, to the Track Jacket™, which cloaks the dogs with visibility during hunting season.