x
Breaking News
More () »

Meet Vessel: The first water leak detection dog in the nation

She's a black lab mix and her job at Central Arkansas Water is to help find surfacing and non-surfacing leaks in the water distribution system.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Have you ever heard of a dog who can sniff out water leaks? We have. And her name is Vessel.

"We're here to celebrate a really unique approach to finding water leaks in our community," said Doug Shackleford, director of public affairs and communications for Central Arkansas Water.

Vessel is the newest employee at Central Arkansas Water and the nation's first water leak detection dog.

She's a black lab mix and her job is to help find surfacing and non-surfacing leaks in the water distribution system.

"It's not the water that she's smelling, it's all the chemicals," explained Carrie Kessler, dog trainer. "When there's a leak, that water might come to the surface, but it usually goes down. But what comes up are the gases, and that's what she smells. That's what she identifies and that's what she can tell us."

Other countries use leak detection dogs, but Vessel is the only one trained to do this in the United States.

And this isn't Vessel's first job. She recently graduated from the Arkansas "Paws in Prison Program."

You can follow her on social media to keep up with her adventures.

RELATED: This breed of dog can climb a house!

RELATED: Meet Piglet. He's deaf, blind and also pink

RELATED: Saline Co. lawyers provide grant to help domestic abuse victims with their pets

Before You Leave, Check This Out