Target: Lord Mair, Chair of UK House of Lords Science and Technology Committee
Goal: Fund advanced cancer screening tools for dogs and humans.
The link between cancer detection and dogs has sporadically grabbed headlines over the years. Some canines have demonstrated a seeming ability to sniff out developing cancers in humans. Anecdotes are plentiful (with stories of dogs achieving a 95 percent success rate in detection), and federal health agencies have even approved clinical trials involving cancer-detecting dogs in the past. The potential for dogs to identify odors from other ailments – from bacterial infections to COVID-19 – has also been explored, and the number of organizations dedicated to studying these capabilities has grown worldwide. The nearly half a billion smell receptors that dogs possess could explain in part these medical breakthroughs.
But what about when deadly cancers occur in dogs? What resources are available? Promising developments have recently taken place with new diagnostic tools, such as a DNA-based blood test for canines marketed as revolutionary and affordable, in addition to a UK-based laboratory that has developed a blood test for detecting canine lymphoma. Strong investments could move these potential prevention tools – as well as utilizing canine capabilities for cancer detection – from the laboratory to the real world.
Sign the petition below to compel funding for clinical cancer trials involving dogs that could save lives.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Lord Mair,
IDEXX Laboratories recently announced a panel for a blood-based cancer screening tool for canines. UK pet owners have expressed immense interest in such technologies, as one-quarter of dogs (and one-half of elderly dogs) will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Investment in this initiative – and others like it – will build assurance and trust with millions of citizens.
Furthermore, the research and results supporting the link between canines and disease detection should not be ignored. Robust funding for the increasing number of businesses and scientists that train cancer-detecting dogs could provide a needed boon for the global fight against some of the world’s most unforgiving and pervasive conditions.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Tima Miroshnichenko
