Sniffer dogs find a living person "hidden" in the Sanctuary

Generally speaking, people are unaware of the extraordinary gifts the Creator has bestowed upon animals, including our pets. Did you know that a dog has about 220 million olfactory cells, while humans have an average of only 5 million? Their sense of smell is so refined that they can determine if a scent is coming from the left or right from a distance of 1.5 km (nearly a mile), and can even detect their owners' emotions by smelling their hormones. A canine’s sense of smell is a true miracle of Divine creation, serving as a vital tool for both dogs and human beings alike.

Aware of this incredible power, police train certain breeds to use their noses to locate disaster survivors or hidden individuals. This led to a fascinating occurrence during Pope John Paul II's visit to the United States in 1995. While in the city of Baltimore, the Holy Father decided to stop and pray in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.

As part of the standard security protocol, the police escorting the Pope surveyed the entire building before he entered to ensure no one was hiding inside. They used K9 units—dogs specifically trained to find living people in the wake of natural disasters and building collapses (individuals who might be trapped meters deep under rubble).

The officers released the dogs into the chapel. They sniffed every corner and potential hiding spot with no reaction. Finally, they reached the front of the Tabernacle.
What happened next was extraordinary:

The dogs immediately stopped and went into a "find" alert position, their eyes fixed intently on the Tabernacle. They began to whine and nudge toward the spot, sensing a constant "scent" coming from that exact location, and refused to move. According to their training, the dogs were signaling that someone alive was hidden there.. 

As Catholics, we know exactly what the dogs found: Jesus, truly alive and resurrected, present in Body and Blood in the Eucharist inside the Tabernacle. The animals only broke their alert stance when the officers gave them a direct command to stand down.

Animals are innocent and fascinating creatures of God. Their very existence blesses Him and gives Him glory, even though they cannot consciously comprehend Him (cf. Daniel 3:79-81). 

_{References: APOSTOLADO CATECISMO DA IGREJA CATOLICA. VEM SENHOR JESUS. A  HORA CATÓLICA. ARQUIDIOCESE DE SOROCABA. CARINHA DE BICHO. PATAS DA CASA. BITCÃO.}