An Indiana school district will use Labrador retrievers to help keep students safe, WXIN reported.
Noblesville Schools will use three of the animals to monitor schools for firearms, the television station reported. The dogs are trained to detect the scent of ammunition.
The move comes a year after a shooting at Noblesville West Middle School when a teacher and student were injured after a boy opened fire in a classroom.
The school district released a newsletter that included instructions about petting the dogs while they were not working, WXIN reported.
"The dogs will have bandannas on to visually indicate when they are working," the release said. "We will teach students how to interact with the dogs and appreciate parents reinforcing this message."
A similar program has been used in a Michigan school district, according to WXIN. The Elite Detection K9 company trains Labradors to protect students at schools, the television station reported.
"We are seeing significant interest," Elite Detection K9 President and CEO Greg Guidice told WXIN. "They are household pets, less threatening than a German shepherd."
Hyde Heckman, a parent of a Noblesville student and member of the group "Noblesville Stands Together," said she is excited about adding the dogs as security measures.
"I'm super proud of Noblesville for really doing some great research and finding some new avenues that haven't been tried and tested yet," Heckman told WXIN.
About the Author