Cat Warren and Coda prepare to begin a search during a cadaver dog training held on the grounds of the OCME in Raleigh

Every third Friday of the month, dogs can be seen running all over the wooded areas surrounding the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh.  No, they are not chasing squirrels or Frisbees, these dogs are running with a purpose:  to sniff out human remains.

Lisa Mayhew, a child death investigator for the OCME, has been coordinating cadaver dog training on the OCME grounds for volunteers and law enforcement since the office moved from Chapel Hill to Raleigh, more than a year ago. 

These canines are being trained to search for the missing and presumed dead. The wooded area surrounding the office is perfect for hiding just about any object that has “cadaver scent,” such as dry bones, teeth or blood.  Mayhew says the goal is to “train hard, search easy.”  She trudges throughout the woods early in the morning, placing the “hides” under brush, near creeks, even up in trees.  

One at a time, handlers unleash their dog and watch as it eagerly begins to work.  While it may seem that the dogs are running around in no particular pattern, it quickly becomes apparent that the dog is using its nose to make a perimeter around the scented area. Gradually, the dog zones in on a smaller and smaller area, until it lies down directly next to the “hide” to alert its handler.  Immediately, the dog is rewarded with its favorite toy or treats.  Sometimes, Mayhew tries to distract the dogs, by laying out animal bones. While an inexperienced dog may alert its owner, a seasoned cadaver dog knows the scent difference between animal and human bones and quickly moves on. 

The use of tracking dogs is an important tool for law enforcement, whether they are trained to find illegal drugs, bombs, or bodies. Cat Warren, who regularly attends the training sessions at the OCME, has assisted in searches across the state, although she recently retired her 10-year-old dog, Solo.  Warren knows some of the dog and handler duos that are in Washington helping rescue crews search in the Oso area affected by the deadly March 22 mudslide. Conditions there are dangerous and difficult, with cadaver dogs leading the way through sludge and splintered homes to find the missing.  

Warren is currently training 18-month-old Coda, who started sensory training as a 4-month-old puppy.  She looks forward to the new scents that Coda will learn at the OCME trainings, as human remains detection can be complex.  Dogs need to learn a range of scent, from dry bone to fresh material.  Forensic anthropologists at the University of Tennessee say they have identified about 480 different volatile compounds given off by decomposing human bodies, but it’s not yet fully known which of those compounds bear significance to the dog. 

Jorga, a Dutch Shepard, detects a human scent and lies down to alert handler Randy Searls

While many scent dogs are German shepherds, Belgian Malinois or Labradors, Warren says “it’s not the breed of the dog – it’s the drive of the dog.”  Whether it’s a pit bull or poodle, they must have the desire to work above all else, no matter how harsh the conditions may be.  The bond between the handler and the dog is unique- a good cadaver dog needs to work as part of a unit with its handler, but also be independent enough to make decisions on its own.  In other words, handlers need to trust that the dog will take care of the search. 

Mayhew says the training benefits both the medical examiner’s office and law enforcement.  While her office provides access to materials for training, law enforcement then takes the trained dogs and successfully locates remains that end up at the OCME, and ultimately, helps close a case.