Sheriff’s office says shelter dog will be arson investigator

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - A dog rescued from an Albany-area animal shelter is being trained to help in arson investigations in Buffalo.

The 1 ½-year-old Labrador mix will train for about eight weeks at the New York State Fire Training Academy in Montour Falls before going to work for the Erie County Sheriff’s Department. The dog, named Axe, will work with the fire investigations unit to detect accelerants.

The department’s previous K9, Blaze, retired at the end of 2016.