After you paid a few hundred dollars to stay at a posh hotel in New York City don’t be surprised if you’re passed by a beagle in the hallway. He’s not looking for snacks or for human attention; he’s looking for bed bugs.

Due to the infestation of bed bugs in New York City, the services of these knights in shining fur are in more demand by hotels than the services of clever concierges. Hotels are particularly susceptible to bed bugs due to international travelers unknowingly providing free transportation for these tiny tourists in their suitcases.

The sultans of sniffing receive training similar to their cohorts involved in drugs and bomb detection. Bed bug sniffing dogs are more effective than their human counterparts at detecting bed bugs. However, they won’t destroy the bed bugs and their eggs; they leave the dirty work for their human underlings. Since they have no concept of money they work for treats and the labor savings is passed on to the customer.

The dogs can investigate a room in about two minutes. If a beagle enters your hotel room and barks or swats with his paw this translates to: “Oh the horror! The horror!” Bed bugs are lurking.