Despite their self-willed temperament,
they are sometimes used as sniffer dogs
for drug detection.
More often, though, they are the breed
of choice of the United States
Department of Agriculture to detect
food items in luggage being transported
into the U.S. The force is called the
Beagle Brigade and these dogs wear a
green jacket. Beagles were chosen
because they are small and easy to care
for, and because they are not as
intimidating for people who are
uncomfortable around dogs.
They are also used for this purpose by
the Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries in New Zealand and by the
Australian Quarantine and Inspection
Service (for whom they wear maroon
jackets).
They are the dog breed most often used
in animal testing, due to their passive
nature.
In June 2006, a trained Beagle saved
the life of its master by using his
mobile phone to dial an emergency
number.

