We have all heard about bomb-sniffing dogs, and anyone who has been to the international terminal of an airport knows about drug sniffing dogs, but this is taking it all to a very personal level. At onlinedrugclass.com, we like to discuss interesting stories about the world of drug abuse and drug prevention. I think this story from San Diego, California qualifies.
After learning prescription drug and heroin use rose significantly in the last five years in San Diego County, former firefighter and professional K9 handler Troy Morrison decided to take action. As reported in www.nbcsandiego.com.
He and his dog, Chewy, are making their services available to parents in Southern and Central California.
Chewy is trained to alert Morrison when he smells narcotics, specifically meth and marijuana. He can also detect oxycodone, cocaine, Adderall and Spice.
Heroin abuse is growing both in San Diego and the entire nation. Heroin seizures and treatment admissions have increased consistently in the last five years. The misuse of painkillers may contribute to this trend, as users switch to heroin after painkillers becomes harder to find or pay for.
One instance where Chewy came in handy was for a father who wanted his daughter’s room completely clean before she got home from rehab. He had stripped down her room himself and didn’t find anything. After Chewy went through it, they found traces of drugs and alcohol hidden under the mattress, in the closet and one in a shoe container under the bed.
I would like to see more people like Joe with dogs like Chewy. Setting an addict up for success is a good step in the right direction for long-term sobriety. Dogs like Chewy might keep people from needing another drug class or might even save their lives.