Medical Detection Dogs fundraiser to help fight COVID-19

Exciting news! In conjunction with our partnership with Medical Detection Dogs, we’re supporting them in their goal to raise money in the fight against COVID-19. With an initial aim of reaching a total of £500, the charity will fund crucial research into how dogs can detect a number of diseases – including Coronavirus. 

How is this possible?

As many of us know all too well, dogs not only make incredibly wonderful companions, but also have the ability to save lives. Working alongside the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Durham University, the charity plans to use the money raised to research how dogs can identify certain smells to detect a variety of diseases. Past studies have shown that each disease has a unique odour, which is picked up by the animal’s powerful nose. 

In fact, certain breeds of dogs have been found to be able to detect these diseases with an incredible accuracy of 85 – 90%! Amazingly, this is equivalent to being able to identify a single teaspoon of sugar in two Olympic-sized swimming pools. Isn’t that just extraordinary?

So far, great progress has been made in this field of research. The charity has more than 10 years of experience in training dogs for these types of important roles, and past work has helped prepare detection dogs for all sorts of situations. Scientists have already been very successful in teaching dogs to identify some types of cancers and malaria; and the future of this type of research shows very promising potential indeed. 

How will your support make a difference?

Medical Detection Dogs will use funding to give the dogs training over just a six-week period, after which they’ll be able to provide COVID diagnoses to help combat the spread of the pandemic. The most likely use for these professional pups will be in airports and other travel hubs, setting to work identifying travellers that may be carrying the virus. Several countries, including Finland and Dubai, have already started this method of basic screening and it’s proving successful.

The true potential of these incredibly talented animals is becoming clearer and clearer to us each year, and invaluable research like this just goes to show how helpful man’s best friend can really be. 

How can you get involved? 

Would you like to be a part of the fundraising effort, and help fund the research and the work that the charity is undertaking? We welcome any support you’re able to provide for this magnificent cause. To find details on how to donate and how to help us reach our target, take a look here. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the progress!  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/swishlondon-mdd