Cargo Dog

Yesterday, I had a slight detour with a family that invited me to have a cook-out at Neds Beach on the NW corner of the island.

Part of the tour included a visit to the pier where the cargo vessel makes routine trips to the island every two weeks or so.

Everything of any signficant size or weight -- is delivered via ship.  This ship.

And, every bit of cargo that arrives, before it's moved off the dock onto the island is inspected for biologic specimens that do NOT belong on the island (rats, mice, frogs, snakes, etc..)   Dogs are used to sniff out any of these critters and make a sign when they find something.    This is how the island is able to protect the native species that are endemic to the island.  Without this level of critical inspection, the native wildlife would be decimated.  In the past years it was almost decimated until after a serious and dedicated ten year plan was successful of removing every rat and mouse from the island.

The working element of this operation is really that dog which checks every single load off the ship.  The fork-trucks do not leave the dock with the item until the dog gives the "A-OK"

In this case the dog was sniffing out a crate of gravel.