Puppy recruited by museum to catch insects eating its priceless paintings

Weimaraner's presence could provide 'remarkable' impact on preserving art treasures once he is trained, says director

Boston's Museum of Fine Arts has drafted in a new staff member to protect priceless paintings from moths, in the form of Weimaraner puppy Riley.

The bug catcher-in-training will learn to sniff out beetles, moths and other pests that could damage works of art, the museum said.

Katie Getchell, the venue's deputy director, told The Boston Globe: "We have lots of things that bring, by their very nature, bugs or pests with them.

"If [Riley] can be trained to sit down in front of an object that he smells a bug in, that we can’t smell or see, then we could take that object, inspect it, and figure out what’s going on - that would be remarkable in terms of preserving objects.”

While the museum already has processes for protecting against bug infestation and damage, the puppy is intended to provide extra reassurance, she added.

Riley's tenure is a pilot scheme. Once trained he will work behind the scenes and not in a public-facing role.

Adult Weimaraners can weigh up to 37kg. They were initally bred as hunting dogs by German aristocrats, according to the UK Kennel Club.