[schlowmo]

TIL bedbug sniffing dogs are a thing. I would never dare to train one, spilling the training material at the wrong place would be a very unpleasant experience.

After reading just the bedbug headline I couldn't imagine any non-shady use of living bedbugs besides science. I know some people which worked for or owned hostels - it's kind of a don't ask don't tell arrangement. This is why I would always take reasons which hostels give why you have to switch a room (pipe burst, issue with the electricity that needs immediate fixing...) with a grain of salt. You probably won't hear the word bedbug until you're the one reporting them to the hostel.