Are Victim Detection and Forensic Evidence Search Dogs reliable?

[Alice Purjorick]

How many times have we heard this question asked, and how many times does it have to be answered before it sinks in I wonder? 

Where there is a body to be found, then these dogs are remarkably adept at finding them, that is why they continue to be used to this day.  When out searching for a body, if a dog alerts but no body is actually present then it's not the end of the world, the search continues in the hope and expectation that at the next alert the body will be discovered.  Often it is, sometimes not.  It's why (for example) people continue to use metal detectors to hunt for valuable objects buried beneath the ground - they won't always turn up the goods, but they are a valuable tool in helping to find them.

So you agree the answer to the question posed by the thread is "yes".
Good o we can move on now.

[Mr Gray]

So you agree the answer to the question posed by the thread is "yes".
Good o we can move on now.

Move on where....
VRD dogs are reliable at finding bodies but that does not address the question of residual scent reliability

[Angelo222]

Move on where....
VRD dogs are reliable at finding bodies but that does not address the question of residual scent reliability

The question of reliability is an interesting one and one for which I am not totally convinced.  That said however, the doggies are a useful tool and when they do get it right and find something they are worth their weight in gold.

[Alfred R Jones]

So you agree the answer to the question posed by the thread is "yes".
Good o we can move on now.

That's fine by me - they're great at finding bodies which is why they continue to be used.  When they alert but there is no body in situ, then there is no way of knowing what triggered the alert unless corroborating evidence is found.  How many more times...!!

[ferryman]

The question of reliability is an interesting one and one for which I am not totally convinced.  That said however, the doggies are a useful tool and when they do get it right and find something they are worth their weight in gold.

Yes!

In fairness, Eddie contributed richly to putting Attracta Harron's murderer behind bars.

[Alice Purjorick]

That's fine by me - they're great at finding bodies which is why they continue to be used.  When they alert but there is no body in situ, then there is no way of knowing what triggered the alert unless corroborating evidence is found.  How many more times...!!

They [the vrds] may be alerting to what they have been trained to alert to. That would be the first presumption. Otherwise they are not reliable and you agree they are.
Round and round the mulberry bush.

[Mr Gray]

They [the vrds] may be alerting to what they have been trained to alert to. That would be the first presumption. Otherwise they are not reliable and you agree they are.
Round and round the mulberry bush.

Twisted logic

[Alfred R Jones]

They [the vrds] may be alerting to what they have been trained to alert to. That would be the first presumption. Otherwise they are not reliable and you agree they are.
Round and round the mulberry bush.

what can trigger a VRD alert? 

[stephen25000]

Twisted logic

Alice is quite right.

The 'logic' of the mccann supporters

The dogs are fine and do what they are supposed to, EXCEPT in this case.

[Mr Gray]

Alice is quite right.

The 'logic' of the mccann supporters

The dogs are fine and do what they are supposed to, EXCEPT in this case.

So tell me..... What is a VRD or victim recovery dog supposed to do

[stephen25000]

So tell me..... What is a VRD or victim recovery dog supposed to do

Why don't you address the question I asked ?

[Lace]

Alice is quite right.

The 'logic' of the mccann supporters

The dogs are fine and do what they are supposed to, EXCEPT in this case.

So can you say that Eddie DEFINATELY alerted to cadaver scent?   Even though experts have said that they could alert to something that had blood on it and was taken away,   decomposed vegetation,  mushrooms, saliva and pigs blood which could have been in fertiliser?   DEFINATELY now Stephen.

[Mr Gray]

So VRDs are very reliable at recovering victims...... Alerts to residual scent..... Not so reliable

[stephen25000]

So can you say that Eddie DEFINATELY alerted to cadaver scent?   Even though experts have said that they could alert to something that had blood on it and was taken away,   decomposed vegetation,  mushrooms, saliva and pigs blood which could have been in fertiliser?   DEFINATELY now Stephen.

Were any of those found in the samples collected and analysed ?

A simple yes or no will suffice.

[jassi]

So can you say that Eddie DEFINATELY alerted to cadaver scent?   Even though experts have said that they could alert to something that had blood on it and was taken away,   decomposed vegetation,  mushrooms, saliva and pigs blood which could have been in fertiliser?   DEFINATELY now Stephen.

One can't say whether they did or they didn't, merely that their response raised suspicions.