K-9 Inspection Unit
Rosebud signaled her handler Deb Tirmenstein by sitting that she had found the planted mussel under the bowl. Rosebud is rewarded with a treat or a thrown ball that she is enthusiastic to retrieve.
A pipe clogged with Quagga mussels during an 18-month time period on display at the presentation. These mussels were found in Lake Mead in Nevada.
Handler Tirmenstein points to various locations on all sides of the watercraft for Ismay to sniff for mussels. Ismay found the planted mussel in the hole of the boat. It was planted far up in the pipe. She signaled her find by sitting and focusing on the spot.
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections presented a Mussel Dog program at the Holland Lake Boat Launch area July 26. Two "mussel" dogs, three-year old Labradors, with their handler Deb Tirmenstein demonstrated how they can sniff out aquatic invasive zebra and quagga mussels on watercraft. The dogs using their keen sense of smell save watercraft inspectors time and money. They can more quickly identify the invasive mussels which are located in places on the watercraft that are hard for humans to see such as the ballast tank.
Flathead Basin Commission (FBC) Program Coordinator Heidi Sedivy explained zebra and quagga mussels are aquatic invasive species (AIS). AIS are in-water plant, animal or pathogen that harms recreation, the economy or human health.
Mussels have been detected in Montana boats at AIS inspection stations but were decontaminated before allowed to launch in Montana waters.
Sedivy showed attendees what the mussels look like when many are attached to a pipe. Since a female can lay one million eggs a year, they soon cover everything. For instance it can cost hydroelectric facilities more than 250 million dollars a year to repair the damage. Recreation income can decline as much as 10 percent Sedivy said. The shells from the die off can cover beaches harming beachgoers.
Sedivy stressed that it is important to keep the invasive mussels out of the Columbia watershed of which the Swan is a part. Now it is the last watershed in the United States without mussels.
"Dogs are an important part of finding the mussels Sedivy said, "The dogs are thorough and their nose knows."
The canines, litter mates named Rosebud and Ismay, are part of the Flathead Mussel Sniffing K-9 Unit. The dogs wear colored vests that read "K-9 Inspection Unit - Flathead Basin Commission and socks on their front feet to protect them and the boats they inspect.
The dogs are only trained to search for mussels, not aquatic vegetation, firearms or drugs. They were trained in California for three weeks with the California Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP).
Tirmenstein said that dogs in the program need high energy to be successful. They work long hours at the inspection stations. They also have to be play motivated since their reward after finding mussels is retrieving a ball along with treats.
The canines work at two of the 20 AIS inspection stations FWP operates in Montana, the one at Ravalli, Mont. and at Clearwater Junction near Seeley Lake, Mont. FWP teamed up with the FBC starting in the spring of 2016. FBC found a unique way to combat the mussels in northwest Montana.
Sedivy asked if the dogs will replace the human inspectors. Some in the audience responded that humans are still needed for communication with the boaters and the authorities.
Sedivy urged boat owners to be responsible and clean, drain and dry their watercraft after each use.
For more information about AIS visit FWP's website http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/species/ais/ To learn more about FBC visit flatheadbasincommission.org
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