Calgary-based Blackline Safety is extending its connected safety technology to an unexpected new workforce: dogs.
The company has announced the first deployment of its GPS-enabled gas monitoring devices with Calgary’s K9 Leak Hunters, whose specially trained canine unit delivers precise pipeline leak detection services for rural oil and gas utilities.
“With the global canine security services market experiencing rapid growth, the need for technological integration to boost safety and efficiency is greater than ever,” said Bob Wicker, Blackline Safety’s Director of Global Rentals. Wicker noted that the global canine security services market is expected to grow from roughly USD $3.4 billion in 2025 to $5.6 billion by 2032.
“Dogs are increasingly becoming a critical component of modern safety teams in complex environments — from industrial infrastructure to public events — and connected safety technologies are a reliable complement to traditional methods,” he said.
Blackline Safety offers rentals of its connected safety devices and real-time monitoring services to make the technology more accessible to smaller organizations, including many canine security teams.
K9 Leak Hunters rents Blackline’s G6 single-gas detector for German Shepherd Nala to wear while she searches for pipeline leaks in the field. Handler and company CEO Jay Stephens accompanies her wearing a Blackline G7c multi-gas detector.
Nala’s lightweight gas detector, attached to her harness, records GPS-tagged gas readings that validate her discoveries. The data allows Stephens to support the dog’s findings with quantifiable measurements, enabling clients to meet regulatory compliance requirements and make faster operational decisions.
“The technology is phenomenal and the dog is another layer,” Stephens explained. “Dogs smell in parts per billion — which beats most traditional sensors — and then we confirm the findings with Blackline’s gas readings to decrease the likelihood of false indications.”
Both devices connect to Blackline Live, the company’s cloud-based 24/7 monitoring platform. The system includes lone worker protection features such as emergency SOS alerts, fall detection, location monitoring, and communication tools, giving Stephens additional peace of mind while working with Nala in remote locations.
Blackline’s rental program allows organizations to deploy the devices on demand at daily, weekly, or monthly intervals, with customers paying only for the time and number of devices required.
“The rental experience has been phenomenal,” Stephens said. “You get a piece of ridiculously amazing technology for a fraction of the cost of other gas detectors that have fewer capabilities. I feel like I have a million-dollar team backing me and that’s a huge win for a small business.”
The deployment highlights how Calgary-built safety technology is continuing to find new applications across the energy sector — including alongside some of its most sensitive detection tools: trained working dogs.
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