K9 dogs have been known to help the police find and locate drugs due to their great sense of smell, but what if people like you and me were able to hire these dogs with a trainer for private use? Most businesses charge $200-$500 to have a private house searched by a K9 dog. Sophomore Connor Lowe said, “These dogs will help families, and possibly save a drug user’s life. People who suspect their family [are] on drugs should definitely take advantage of this.”

On the other hand, some people do not think it is such a good idea. Senior Alea Holloway said, “This is an invasion of privacy, you could handle that situation without having to tear your house apart.”

Most people who take advantage of this suspect their kids, or someone in their family, is using drugs and think it is a quick way to get the truth, according to the courier-journal.com. These dogs and their handlers are not the police,  the dog handler cannot take any drugs if they are found. It is up to the house owner to dispose of the drugs. Only one parent can be with the dog handler while the sweep of the property is done, to minimize distractions for the dog. If the dog picks up a scent, then the dog will alert the handler and that spot will be marked for further search. The dog goes room to room, and even outside to make sure an entire sweep of the property is done.