MYAKKA CITY, Fla. — As the race to cure COVID-19 continues, one Florida nonprofit is working to detect the disease in public spaces with the help of some four-legged friends. 

What You Need To Know

BioScent K9 in Myakka City is working to find out whether dogs can sniff out COVID-19. 

“If we are able to do this with the dogs, they could really help society come back to some type of normalcy,” says Heather Juniqueira, who says beagles and basset hounds are best for the test.

“Their capabilities compared to ours are astronomical,” she says. “They can smell a drop of perfume in an Olympic-sized pool."

The research starts by using COVID-19-positive testing swabs that no longer have a live virus. 

“The dogs can’t get the virus with these swabs. It’s a dead virus,” Juniqueira says. 

Through a variety of tests, researchers can determine whether dogs can detect COVID-19, and if so, they train them to respond to it.

“I’m 95% confident that they are able to do this,” Juniqueira says.  

The project is expected to take six to eight months to complete and cost $300,000. 

To donate to BioScent K9, click here.

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