The Boston Museum Of Fine Arts is hitting everyone in the feels after hiring its most recent recruit - newest security guard, Riley.
Riley isn't a big, burly bouncer, however, but a 12-week-old Weimaraner puppy that's being trained to sniff out invasive bugs carried in by unsuspecting visitors.
Once inside the museum, these bugs can cause considerable damage to the art that's there. Which is where Riley comes in.
"Weimaraners are very intelligent and have an incredible sense of smell," the museum's public relations manager, Ashley Bleimes, told IFLScience. "Riley's duties as a scent dog at the MFA are well suited to his breed!"
The person training the cute little pup is his owner, Nicki Luongo, who is also the director of the museum's protective services department.
According to The Boston Globe, deputy director of the institution Katie Getchell said that insects are an ongoing concern for museums.
And while there are already existing protocols in place to deal with potential infestations, Riley will add an extra layer of help in finding potentially harmful pests. Getchell thinks that he's the first dog to be used by a museum for this type of work.
Sadly, Riley's work will be behind the scenes, so his little legs won't be traipsing up and down the museum's halls during opening hours, but that doesn't mean he won't be visible. He's already a hit on Twitter thanks to this photo posted by Good Morning America:
Somehow, we think that's just the beginning and that we'll be seeing a lot more of Riley in the future. Currently, the little pup still needs more than a year of training to be able to carry out his job to the best of his abilities, but that's bound to fly by.
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So all you creepy-crawlies out there better beware. He might look adorable, but Riley is going to hunt you down and find you.
Featured Image Credit: Museum Of Fine Arts BostonTopics: US News, Animals, Dogs
