Dogs at Metro Detroit schools detect guns and support kids

Binx and Intel, two widely loved members of the Van Dyke Public Schools community in Warren, greet students daily with a smile and a sniff.

The big picture: The labrador retrievers are two of 16 highly trained dogs from Zebra K9, a Waterford-based business specializing in the growing canine detection market.

• These dogs are trained to detect firearms, explosives, narcotics and vapes in schools with their handlers, offering a crucial layer of safety for students and staff.
• Using dogs for gun detection and as a visible deterrent in schools is becoming more popular in the United States. after record numbers of school shootings in recent years.

State of play: Van Dyke is one of eight school districts working with Zebra K9. The dogs on the campuses serve two functions: They search for prohibited items and provide therapeutic support to students and staff.

How it works: On a typical day, dogs and their handlers start with a sweep of the grounds, Zebra CEO Greg Guidice tells Axios.

• They mill about, sniffing, as students enter and between classes, and then they sweep lockers, the gym and other areas while students learn. They also attend after-school events.
• "It's a visual proactive deterrent that's there every day," Guidice says.

Yes, but: At first, Zebra underestimated the emotional benefit its dogs could have on students, Guidice says.

• Now, dogs are asked to console struggling students or escort them across the school.

In some districts, one or two dogs are assigned daily to the high school. In others, they travel throughout the district.

• Zebra K9 works with Van Dyke, as well as Avondale School District in Auburn Hills, Lakeview Public Schools in St. Clair Shores, St. Ignace Area Schools, Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools, Huron Valley Schools in Highland, Rudyard Area Schools and Williamston Community Schools.
• The company does not disclose statistics on firearm or explosive discovery for privacy and security reasons, the company said in a statement.

What they're saying: "It's become a necessary concept," Van Dyke Superintendent Piper Bognar tells Axios.

• The district pays for Binx and Intel's daily presence through a state mental health and safety grant.
• "You can just tell how accepted and loved they are," Bognar adds.

Between the lines: Zebra purchases labrador retrievers 10-15 months old, raised with a drive to hunt and search. They started with about five dogs when the company launched in 2023.

• Zebra trains dogs at its 4,400-square-foot Waterford facility, Guidice says. It has labs and German Shepherds, but only labs at schools.

By the numbers: The dogs did more than 27,000 sweeps in the Van Dyke district last school year, 165 student escorts and nearly 1,400 social support sessions, according to Bognar.

The bottom line: "You think about (gun violence) constantly," Bognar says. "My two main jobs are safety and education, and I almost always say safety first because I want parents to know they can send their child to school, and we've done everything within our control to make the environment safe."