Boston museum to protect art with pest-sniffing dog

Boston’s venerable Museum of Fine Arts has gone to the dogs.

The museum on Wednesday introduced the newest addition to its staff, a Weimaraner puppy named Riley that will be trained to sniff out insects or other pests that could potentially damage priceless works of art.

Riley belongs to and will be trained by Nicki Luongo, the museum’s director of protective services.

Deputy Director Katie Getchell tells The Boston Globe that insects are an ongoing concern for museums and there already are existing protocols in place to handle potential infestations. Riley will add another layer and help sniff out pests humans can’t see.

Getchell says she’s not aware of another institution using a dog for similar work.

Riley will be used behind the scenes and won’t be seen by visitors.

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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com