They are the first dogs to be trained in the UK to detect this invasive weed and can carry out a Japanese knotweed survey much faster and more accurately than a human.
Mick and Mack have been especially trained for Environet UK by RFA Security, who provide security and detection dogs for various purposes including finding explosives, narcotics and even bedbugs.
The dogs can detect Japanese knotweed rhizome, even in small quantities hidden beneath the ground, and can cover a garden or development site in minutes. If they find any the dogs will indicate by staying completely still.
They can do this because they have 300 million or so receptors in their noses and a proportion of brain area dedicated to smell which is 40 times larger than a human.
Environet says that dog detection is the most precise method available to determine whether knotweed is present and can be carried out at any time of year, including during winter when the plant is dormant beneath the ground.
New law to declare Japanese knotweed
Home sellers are required by law to declare if their property is affected by Japanese knotweed on the Law Society’s TA6 form, completed as a standard part of the conveyancing process.
Unless they are absolutely certain that there is no knotweed (including below ground rhizome) on their property or within three metres of the boundary, the guidance recommends that sellers respond “Not known” in order to protect themselves from future legal action if knotweed is subsequently discovered.
This places the onus on the buyer to carry out their own checks, which is where the detection dogs can help by surveying the property for any trace of knotweed, including where it has been deliberately concealed.
A dog detection survey not only offers peace of mind to homebuyers, but also additional reassurances to lenders in situations where a surveyor has recommended further investigation, for example in high-risk areas or where knotweed is growing nearby.
Nic Seal, founder and managing director of Environet, said: “Japanese knotweed is a growing problem for homeowners in the UK and misrepresentation cases are on the rise, where sellers have answered dishonestly about whether their property is affected or deliberately concealed the plant.
“It’s not uncommon for knotweed to be cut back prior to a survey and I’ve even seen cases where the seller has placed a membrane horizontally in the ground over a knotweed infestation and laid a lawn or pathway over the top.”
Jason Collins, operations manager at RFA Security, commented: “Highly trained detection dogs have a long history of working with the police and security services to find drugs and weapons, but increasingly they’re also taking on exciting new roles such as in the health and environmental sectors.
“Now, for the first time in the UK, dogs will be on the front line in the battle against Japanese knotweed, helping protect homeowners as well as our fragile native ecosystems.”
Dog detection surveys will also be useful to sellers of property in locations badly affected by knotweed, who may wish to reassure potential buyers from the outset that the plant is not present.
The high accuracy rate of its dog detection surveys has prompted Environet to offer a free five-year insurance-backed guarantee to owners of residential property where knotweed is not detected.
Click here to watch a video of Mick and Mack in action.
