Cadaver Search dogs have been widely used around the world for many years. Their inherent search for food has made them the ideal tool to assist law enforcement officers in the gruesome and arduous task for searching for human remains.
Modern day cadaver detection dogs have been trained to work alongside other search techniques such as Ground Penetrating Radar and Magnetometry. By working to a strict protocol they are able to work in sympathy with these other techniques thus giving the investigator a greater understanding of the search.
Cadaver detection dogs can be used to detect;
• Buried human remains as a result of crime
• Buried human remains as a result of natural disasters
• Concealed human remains on the surface
• Submerged human remains in water.
Dedicated Cadaver detection dogs are trained to ignore other food types and will only give an alert on the scent of pig (used in training) or human remains. Their specialized training reduces the amount of “false positive” indications and enables them to search large areas relatively quickly when compared to other search techniques. After the Lockerbie air disaster dogs were used to search 860sq miles.