REGINA - A couple in Pense, Sask., has bought a drug-sniffing dog and started a business that will search homes and businesses for everything from crystal meth to heroin.
Russ Rathy and his wife paid $20,000 for the trained German shepherd to launch their business, called Crusader Resources.
They will offer drug awareness events for schools and other organization, but they've also lined up six clients who want the dog to check their homes for signs of illegal drugs.
Rathy thinks businesses might want to rent out Alis Vicona, who's two and a half years old, to run its nose over their premises.
The dog can't sniff individual people for signs of drugs because of privacy laws.
Rathy said he launched the company because he's a concerned father himself.
"I wanted to get into business, and I wanted to do a business that would help – help the communities, help the kids, help the schools – and this was just the area that had the least amount of resources available."
Regina Police Service spokesperson Elizabeth Popowich says it's hard to know whether the private drug-sniffer could reduce drug use, but still thinks there's some value to the service.
"If it helps to provide some comfort out there for business or property owners, then I don't think we'd see it as a negative."
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