SAN ANTONIO – The Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office received its first-ever accelerant detection dog last month, a Belgian malinois-German shepherd mix named Villy.
In that time, the 2-year-old K-9 got immediately to work, sniffing out fire scenes at three separate locations throughout Bexar County.
"What may take me hours can take Villy a shorter amount of time, and it helps us actually pinpoint a location, where that odor is the strongest," said Brad Chambers, arson investigator and Villy's handler. "This guy will help us identify areas where samples should be taken, and then we'll collect a sample and send it to the lab."
Hailing from Hungary, Villy was given to the Marshal's Office by the nonprofit organization K9s4COPs, based out of Houston. The organization has awarded over 80 dogs to law enforcement agencies across the country.