Popeye, the mussel-sniffing dog, visits Bay Area

[Jesus Malverde]

On Memorial Day weekend, visitors to Lake Mendocino will have the chance to meet Popeye, the mussel-sniffing dog.

The Sonoma County Water Agency said this week that the 5-year-old chocolate lab will inspect boats for quagga and zebra mussels, shellfish that have terrorized California lakes and reservoirs.

Popeye is trained to sniff out the mollusks on motorboats and kayaks before the animals reach the water, where they can reproduce and crowd out fish and other critters.

“It’s his job. He just doesn’t know it,” said Popeye’s trainer, Debi DeShon of Denair (Stanislaus County). “He absolutely lives to sniff.”

Read More: http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2014/05/22/popeye-the-mussel-sniffing-dog-visits-bay-area/

[shenmue]

1. Squee!