Crime-Fighting Canines & Pups With Backpacks: Meet the Dogs Holding Down Unusual Jobs

Dogs have long been humankind’s best friend, but some of our four-legged pals go above and beyond fetching sticks and providing cuddles. They’re not just pets; they’re employees with important roles (and name badges to boot). From sniffing out diseases to working at historical landmarks, these dogs have taken on jobs that might surprise you.

Dogs have always been valued for their companionship, loyalty and ability to bring joy to our lives, but, when they want to, they’re also able to step into roles that showcase their intelligence, training and dedication in ways that are nothing short of extraordinary. Take the team of volunteer pups who don backpacks in Lewes, for example. No, they’re not heading back to school early – these specially designed Rover rucksacks contain seeds to help repopulate and rewild the wooded area of East Sussex as the pups run wild on their walkies. 

But what motivates these dogs to take on such important tasks? It’s a combination of their natural abilities, rigorous training, of course, and a significant salary package of belly rubs and treats (some contracts still under negotiation, with scritches not off the table). Here’s what some doggos with jobbos get up to on their 9–5.

Bertie, the seed-spreader

Bertie, a happy chappy chocolate Spaniel is one of several volunteers in Lewes, England, where he and his fellow canine colleagues don backpacks filled with native plant seeds and romp around the reserve, spreading seeds as they go. This playful yet purposeful job helps to rejuvenate the land and promote biodiversity in the area, doing the job that their wolf ancestors would do with their fur. 

Friar Carmelo, the monastic pup

Friar Carmelo, a Schnauzer with a uniquely pious life, wandered into the Franciscan monastery of Cochabamba in Bolivia and was adopted by the monks there in 2017. The former stray – nicknamed ‘Friar Moustache’ – dons a custom-made habit (just for pics) and seamlessly integrated into the monastic routine alongside the 18 other residents. Saint Francis is celebrated as the patron saint of animals, which would make a Franciscan monastery an ideal setting for a furry friar to fulfil his duties.

Misty, the admin assistant

Then there’s the story of Misty, an intelligent Border Collie, who ended up holding an administrative role in a quarry in Cumbria, proving that dogs can be just as effective in an office setting as they are in more traditional roles. The typically quick Border Collie taught herself how to fetch and carry delivery forms to help out on the front desk of the Burlington Stone quarry in Kirkby-in-Furness after watching two-legged employees carrying out their duties.

Eric and Florence, the canine vergers

In Tewkesbury’s historic Abbey, two Labradors, Eric and Florence, serve as honorary vergers (although the honour would be all mine if I got to meet these good doggos). The dynamic duo, owned by head verger Chris Skepper, help out with tours and ceremonies, as well as comforting visitors during moments of peace and helping nervous guests to their pews. Their calm and friendly demeanours make them perfect for interacting with visitors, adding a unique touch to the abbey’s ambiance.

Daisy, the cancer detection dog

Daisy, a remarkable Labrador Retriever, sniffed out over 550 cases of cancer in her lifetime, potentially saving her parent’s life in the process. With her extraordinary sense of smell, Daisy was able to identify volatile organic compounds released by cancer cells with a 93 percent accuracy. Daisy’s work has saved numerous lives, earning her a Blue Cross medal for her contributions to cancer detection, and leading her pet parent Dr Claire Guest to cofound the Medical Detection Dogs organisation almost 16 years ago.

Mack, the beekeeper

Mack, a yellow Labrador with a nose for sniffing out the truth, is part of a government team tasked with a very specific mission: detecting the presence of harmful bacteria in bee colonies. The four-legged apiary inspector at the Maryland Department of Agriculture joined the team in 2018 to help his pet parent, chief apiary inspector Cybil Preston, inspect beehives for American foulbrood (AFB), a highly contagious bacterial disease that infects honey bees and can kill entire colonies. Mack’s exceptional olfactory abilities allow him to sniff out the disease without opening up the hives, helping beekeepers address the issue before it spreads.

Harry, Hermione and Ron, the Warner Bros. Tour Guides

The aptly named Harry, a black Labrador, Hermione, a Golden Retriever and Ron, a yellow Labrador took on the role of their lives earlier this year at the Warner Bros. Studio in Watford. The partnership between the studio and Guide Dogs UK aims to “bring best practice accessibility to the Studio Tour and encourage the industry to become more inclusive” to support those with sight loss or vision impairment. (At least this is three separate dogs, and not three heads on one dog like Fluffy.)

Frida, the Navy rescue dog

If there was ever a dog with a CV that could make even the most seasoned professionals envious, it’s Frida, the Labrador Retriever of the Mexican Navy. Frida gained international fame for her role in search and rescue operations following earthquakes in Mexico. With her custom-made goggles, booties and harness, Frida’s look alone was enough to inspire confidence and admiration. Her specialty was locating people trapped under rubble, and her heroics following the 2017 Mexico City earthquake solidified her status as a national hero. She’s since sadly passed away, but her legacy lives on, reminding us all that sometimes the best heroes come with four legs and wear doggie goggles.

PD Lupo and PD Jabba, the crime fighting canines 

PD Lupo and PD Jabba are West Mercia’s four-legged crime fighters, proving that not all heroes wear capes – some wear collars and have a penchant for hunting down evidence. Lupo and Jabba, both Springer Spaniels, are the force’s first Victim Recovery Dogs (VPD) in the region, and have recently added an impressive skill to their already stellar resumes: underwater detection. These pioneering pups are the first in the region to be trained to locate bodies and evidence underwater – a skill that even Sherlock Holmes would envy.