Who Let the Dogs Out? Drug Dogs in Court

The canine has become a vital component in the ‘war on drugs’ due to its ability to detect the faintest of smells. With the increased use of canines in law enforcement, search and seizure issues are being examined by courts across the nation in an attempt to define the limits of the canine sniff. Courts have indicated that under certain circumstances, the canine sniff infringes upon a person’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, while under other circumstances, the canine sniff is not considered a search. This paper examines the use of drug dogs and reviews judicial opinions on canine sniffs of persons, residences, and vehicles