Specially trained dogs to be used in Port Angeles archaeological survey

Source: By Paul Gottlieb
Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES -- The city's archaeologist, Derek Beery, intends to employ specially trained dogs to sniff for human remains at least a century old for his ongoing waterfront archaeological survey.

He is drafting requests for proposals for dogs and handlers schooled in "canine forensics," he said.

Beery said the contract probably will be advertised this week.

"Historical human remains detection dogs" are specially trained to detect buried remains more than 100 years old, said Adela Morris, founder and president of the Institute for Canine Forensics, a Woodside, Calif.-based nonprofit organization founded in 1989.

The canines would trot and sniff through Beery's 872-acre archaeological survey study area -- a three-mile stretch from Ediz Hook up to and including the site of the former Rayonier pulp mill.

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090712/news/307129989

This may be very progressive in helping allow archaeological investigations, while developing a method to properly respect First Nation burial sites and human remains.

This is my community and am involved in the trying to get the Rayonier mill site cleaned up since it really foul with toxic chemicals. The tribal members already know there are remains there but it must be proven to the decision makers who want to develop the land.
We even have photos of the tribe's villages there.
Thanks for finding this.

I am very interested in ancient cultures, and recognize the need to respect those cultures.

here is a Seattle Times series on finding the Tse-whit-zen village. It was actually a horrible episode where workers building a dry dock came upon bones and skeletons but kept digging. The dirt and remains were piled along with garbage until it was finally stopped. The remains were given to the tribe and buried.
The site is now protected and will provide discoveries for some time to come.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/local/klallam/