(MI) Detroit Free Press – When Scott Raymond saw Sable, a German shepherd mix, on a video at an animal shelter in 2006, he knew the dog was right for the job he had in mind. Raymond’s plan was to train Sable to sniff out illegal sewer connections, which dump billions of gallons of bacteria-filled water into rivers, lakes and streams each year, shuttering beaches, contaminating fish and costing millions in cleanups and lost tourism and recreation.

After a year of training and successful work in the Kawkawlin River in Bay County and in Genesee County, Sable, now top dog at Environmental Canine Services, has earned fame and praise for sniffing out contamination from leaky septic tanks and illicit sewer hookups. More