| Sniffing Out Disease | |
| Beagles trained to sniff out food products will join the ranks of the Agriculture Department as it "beefs" up efforts to sniff out foot-and-mouth disease.
About 60 more beagles will be used to inspect luggage in airports in the US, adding to the 50 already in place. The dogs sniff for food products that are not allowed into the country. International travelers are required to say if they have been on a farm where they might have picked up the virus. Foot-and-mouth disease can be carried in on shoes and spreads quickly. Although it is not harmful to humans, it can ravage livestock. The beagles will be deployed at 21 airports. The cost: 13-thousand dollars a year per dog, for training and upkeep.
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