Local pooch sniffing out bed bugs of Chicago

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Forget Turner and Hooch, meet William and Scout.

The six-legged team assembled for one very important purpose: Finding the bed bugs of Chicago.

Chicago was just named the number one city for bedbugs for the fourth straight year. So desperate times meet desperate measures.

The training is no joke.

Normally dogs rescued from shelters, they’re trained using both live vials of bed bugs, which they’re supposed to be looking for, and vials of smelly distracters,” which they’re trained to ignore.

Each dog must be re-certified every year. The test demands 100 percent accuracy and must be completed in under 20 minutes.

Last year, Scout only needed three.

While it may take a human an hour to search an entire apartment, Scout usually gets the job done in under three.

But despite their success – and the job for which Scout was brought in to do – not everyone is a fan.

Since Scout lives with William in a high rise that doesn’t allow pets, another resident is suing to remove her from the building.

And while the building manager wouldn’t comment on the lawsuit or speak with us on camera, he did say that Scout has removed any and all problem with bed bugs that the high rise use to have.

So until a decision is made, Scout will just do what she does best - because she’s just trying to do her job in whatever direction her nose leads her in.