File this one under “news of the adorable”: The latest staff member at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,
is Riley, a 12-week-old Weimaraner puppy. The institution hopes his
impressive olfactory skills can be harnessed to detect insects and bugs,
to prevent infestations that might threaten the preservation of museum
objects.
Riley belongs to the museum’s head of Protective Services and will work with the MFA on a volunteer basis, reports the Boston Globe.
As part of a new pilot program, he’ll be trained to inspect museum
objects, sitting down in front of them if he smells moths or other bugs,
which can cause damage, especially to textile, wood, or other organic
materials.
“Pests are an ongoing concern for museums,” Katie Getchell,
chief brand officer and
deputy director of the Museum of Fine Arts, told
the Globe. “If it is something that works, it’s something that
other museums, or other libraries, or other places that collect
materials that are susceptible to any kind of infestation like that
could use as another line of defense.”
As far as the MFA knows, it is the only institution to add
the art-world equivalent of a bomb-sniffing dog to its protocols for
keeping bugs in check.
As a Weimaraner, Riley is a good choice for the MFA. The American Kennel Club cites the breed’s “ability to work with great speed and endurance in the field,” while Weimaraner Rescue of the South notes that they are “very hardy, with a good sense of smell, and a passionate worker.”
Sadly, for museum-going art lovers, floppy-eared Riley, as
cute as he is, will be working almost entirely behind the scenes,
leaving little opportunity for interaction with visitors.
See more photos of Riley at work below.
