Can We Train Pet Dogs to Find Invasive species and Save our Environment With Melissa McCue-McGrath

In April of 2023, researchers at Texas Tech and Virginia Tech teamed up to run a proof-of-concept study – could pet dogs around the U.S. be trained to find one of the most environmentally damaging invasive species, the spotted lanternfly (SLF)? SLF is presently in 18 states, including New York and Massachusetts, and leaves the environment looking like “scorched earth without the fire.” It’s predicted to be in Maine by 2026, if not sooner. Melissa McCue-McGrath, a dog trainer and behavior consultant at the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, Maine, initially thought they would not be picked to participate in the study after applying in April, 2023. But, in November, she received an email with unexpected news. The researchers were looking for a second cohort of dogs and trainers to complete the study that winter. Six pet dogs enrolled in McCue-McGrath’s scent work classes at the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk were tapped to represent Vacationland in the study. They were already trained to find a variety of oils on a Q-tip for fun, pivoted their focus to save the environment. The teams were shipped dead SLF eggs, packed them in a Pokemon lunchbox,, and got to work.

This presentation describes the six teams’ ten month journey helping researchers across the country, how they trained their dogs to find SLF, and the challenges they overcame training in a brutal Maine winter as another environmental threat – climate change – threatened their plans.

Your Presenters- Melissa McCue-McGrath

Melissa McCue-McGrath grew up with what she affectionately calls an accidental sled dog family in Midcoast Maine. She spent most of her 20 years training dogs and working challenging behavior cases in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2015, Melissa wrote Considerations for the City Dog, a book targeting the urban dogs and families who are left out of conventional training books. She has spoken internationally on the factors intrinsic to city life that makes things tougher on pet owners, and pet trainers, particularly with behavior cases in these densely populated environments.

She gave up the conveniences of ride shares to come back home to Maine. Melissa’s family resides with one ancient cat, 17 bougie chickens, and Captain Love, one of the dogs involved in a nationwide study on training pet dogs to detect invasive species. She is the host of the BewilderBeasts Podcast, which covers the spotted lantern fly (episode 67: Doom Bloom) and the dogs who were trained to find them (episode 96: The Maine Six). Her latest book, Misadventures of the World’s Okayest Dog Trainer, is expected to be out this winter.

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