US parents send sniffer dogs into teenage bedrooms

[HURAKAN]

Sniffer dogs in teenage bedrooms

Retired sniffer dogs that have spent years on police patrol are now working in the private sector in the US - sniffing out teenagers' bedrooms.

Parents can rent a dog and handler for $200 (£125) an hour from Sniff Dogs, a firm operating in New Jersey and Ohio.

The dogs are highly trained and can detect illegal drugs.

The company says the animals can smell marijuana from up to 15 feet away (5m) and residue on clothing from drugs smoked two days earlier.

The dogs sit when they detect the drugs but they leave the final inspection to the parents.

Discreet service

The company was founded by a mother of two sons, who was surprised to find her oldest son smoking marijuana.

I trust my kids, but you only can trust them so far. They're kids, young adults, they're going to make [a] mistake
Pat Winterstein, mother

Sniff Dogs claims to offer a "discreet service" that avoids the confrontation that comes from drugs tests because the search can be carried out without the knowledge of their children.

The company cites statistics showing half of American schoolchildren have tried marijuana and that most drug taking takes place when they get home from school.

Pat Winterstein from Washington, New Jersey decided to use the service to search the bedrooms of her three children.

"I trust my kids, but you only can trust them so far. They're kids, young adults, they're going to make (a) mistake," she told ABC news.

Critics claim that the service could be invasive and may break down family trust.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/a ... 688815.stm

[george_r_1961]

Minors dont have any right to privacy. Their parents, legally responsible for then, house them, feed them, and clothe them, and therefore have every right to know if they are bringing drugs home or using drugs.

[Stephanie]

Minors dont have any right to privacy. Their parents, legally responsible for then, house them, feed them, and clothe them, and therefore have every right to know if they are bringing drugs home or using drugs.

Agree 100%. I don't think parents do this enough. Now a days it's different because both parents are out working. There's rarely one parent at home to be able to watch them and therefore know who and what is going on in their house.

[Ptarmigan]

Even though I am for legalizing drugs, adolescents doing drugs is a serious problem, which is not cool. Never thought a sniffer dog is retired. I thought they would used them until they died.

[Derek Ortt]

Even though I am for legalizing drugs, adolescents doing drugs is a serious problem, which is not cool. Never thought a sniffer dog is retired. I thought they would used them until they died.

legalizing them? Good Lord!

anything recreationally should be handled by the legal authorities, and those for athletic performance by the sporting authorities.

When I have kids, and I catch them smoking weed or the like, they will be spending time in jail

[Category 5]

Minors dont have any right to privacy. Their parents, legally responsible for then, house them, feed them, and clothe them, and therefore have every right to know if they are bringing drugs home or using drugs.

Though I respectfully disagree with the first part, I agree that parents do need to be more involved. We'd have alot fewer drug addicts. I believe there can be a happy medium between privacy and parenting.

[george_r_1961]

Minors dont have any right to privacy. Their parents, legally responsible for then, house them, feed them, and clothe them, and therefore have every right to know if they are bringing drugs home or using drugs.

Though I respectfully disagree with the first part, I agree that parents do need to be more involved. We'd have alot fewer drug addicts.

Well I didnt mean that parents need to be reading their kids diaries or snoop around their kids room just to be nosy even though they have a legal right to do so. If I had a kid and I thought they were trying to hide something like drugs from me yes I would check their room and belongings for their own good. Otherwise I would respect their privacy.

[Category 5]

Minors dont have any right to privacy. Their parents, legally responsible for then, house them, feed them, and clothe them, and therefore have every right to know if they are bringing drugs home or using drugs.

Though I respectfully disagree with the first part, I agree that parents do need to be more involved. We'd have alot fewer drug addicts.

Well I didnt mean that parents need to be reading their kids diaries or snoop around their kids room just to be nosy even though they have a legal right to do so. If I had a kid and I thought they were trying to hide something like drugs from me yes I would check their room and belongings for their own good. Otherwise I would respect their privacy.

Absolutely. You'd be a lousy parent NOT to. There are too many parents who aren't paying enough attention to their kids these days sadly.

[CajunMama]

Alot of parents can't. In many cases both parents are having to work fulltime (if both parents are involved in the rearing of the child). Unless you've worked fulltime to provide a roof over your familys head and food in the pantry, carpool kids, feed the family, clean the house don't say that parents aren't paying enough attention to the kids. We do the best we can in todays world.

[gtalum]

Alot of parents can't. In many cases both parents are having to work fulltime (if both parents are involved in the rearing of the child). Unless you've worked fulltime to provide a roof over your familys head and food in the pantry, carpool kids, feed the family, clean the house don't say that parents aren't paying enough attention to the kids. We do the best we can in todays world.

That's a crock. There's always time for your kids, you just have to prioritize. We both work 10-12 hour days and manage to make quality time with our child. You have to juggle schedules and sacrifice a lot, but it's worth it.

People who truly don't have time to raise kids shouldn't have kids. The cause of children is both well-known and preventable.

That said, I have no problem with snooping in a kid's room. You don't know whether you can trust your kid to always make the right decision until they are tested, and even then you know that EVERY kid is going to make the wrong choice sometimes. A kid's life is too important to play games about trust and the right to privacy.

[Regit]

I think kids have a right to privacy as long as they earn it. Parents should never snoop around if they have no good reason to believe their kids are doing anything wrong.

I do agree that marijuana should be legalized, as those laws are a massive drain on local and state governments. Without filling jails up with petty criminals we'd have more room for people like child molesters. That being said, other drugs should remain illegal.

As for time, I agree that if you don't have time, don't have kids. I've literally worked a 24-hour day before and even then, I could have taken a few minutes.

[vbhoutex]

That said, I have no problem with snooping in a kid's room. You don't know whether you can trust your kid to always make the right decision until they are tested, and even then you know that EVERY kid is going to make the wrong choice sometimes. A kid's life is too important to play games about trust and the right to privacy.

Who is playing games about trust and privacy? If a child earns that trust and that privacy by demonstrating proper behavior on all levels they should be afforded that. They should NEVER be treated as if they can't be trusted unless they have proven otherwise. Parents should be in control, but trust and privacy are important to all whether adult or child.

And yes both of my children are now adults and good productive citizens. I'm not saying we didn't have our problems, but when they earned it they had their privacy and our trust. When they didn't we came down and came down hard.

[CajunMama]

Alot of parents can't. In many cases both parents are having to work fulltime (if both parents are involved in the rearing of the child). Unless you've worked fulltime to provide a roof over your familys head and food in the pantry, carpool kids, feed the family, clean the house don't say that parents aren't paying enough attention to the kids. We do the best we can in todays world.

That's a crock. There's always time for your kids, you just have to prioritize. We both work 10-12 hour days and manage to make quality time with our child. You have to juggle schedules and sacrifice a lot, but it's worth it.

People who truly don't have time to raise kids shouldn't have kids. The cause of children is both well-known and preventable.

That said, I have no problem with snooping in a kid's room. You don't know whether you can trust your kid to always make the right decision until they are tested, and even then you know that EVERY kid is going to make the wrong choice sometimes. A kid's life is too important to play games about trust and the right to privacy.

No it's not a crock, gt, just because it's not your opinion. My opinions aren't "a bunch of crock". I'm one of those parents who had to work fulltime, do the carpooling, do the grocery shopping, do the cooking, do the cleaning, pay the bills, do the afterschool activities, help with the homework....I had to do it all because if it didn't get done no one would do it. I was so tired throughout their schoolyears i don't remember alot of it. And i was doing this for 2 kids...one involved with hockey and baseball and the other with dance, crosscountry, track & field and softball. I did it all for at least 15 years. You say our "child", singular,...one child would have been a breeze.

I don't know what i would have done had my kids been into drugs. I don't think i could go as far as drug dogs. I do feel a parent has the right to make their own decision about searching their childs room. The parents are the ones paying the rent/mortgage and parents shouldn't put their home in jeopardy because of a stupid decision on the childs part.

[george_r_1961]

I think kids have a right to privacy as long as they earn it. Parents should never snoop around if they have no good reason to believe their kids are doing anything wrong.

I do agree that marijuana should be legalized, as those laws are a massive drain on local and state governments. Without filling jails up with petty criminals we'd have more room for people like child molesters. That being said, other drugs should remain illegal.

As for time, I agree that if you don't have time, don't have kids. I've literally worked a 24-hour day before and even then, I could have taken a few minutes.

I respectfully disagree. Theres too much evidence now that pot causes long term damage to the lungs AND central nervous system. Whether this is caused by THC alone or the other crap that finds its way into pot, such as insecticides, is up for debate. Pot isnt harmless.