Search Dogs May Target COVID-19

Lab Scent Detection Dogs Being Trained

Source:  UPENN Labs - AP

University of Pennsylvania Innovative Program

A team of 8 Labrador Retrievers are

being trained to sniff out people 

carrying the Coronavirus.  This 

is an experimental pilot training

program being conducted at the renowned

University of Pennsylvania School

of Veterinary Medicine and its Working

Dogs Center.  Trained scent detection

dogs have been successful in spotting

types of cancer and bacterial infections.

Search Dogs

Trained search dogs work with

the military and police departments

globally to search out explosives,

drugs and humans trapped in

collapsed buildings.  They operate

on their keen sense of smell. Scientists

have discovered that people

carrying the coronavirus emit

a unique scent.  The dogs are

being trained to detect the scent.

Potential Uses Include Airport Screenings

The Penn scientists believe the dogs

would be particularly useful for

airport screenings to spot people

carrying the virus before they get

on planes.  A similar program for

search dogs is underway in the 

UK.  If the pilot program proves

to be successful at Penn, the dogs

may begin preliminary screenings

of humans by July.  Dogs are not

believed to be at high risk for COVID-19

but the dogs at Penn will be closely

monitored.  The scientists believe 

that scent detection dogs could be

at the forefront of a breakthrough in

virus detection.

... ...