One in four homes has a dog, and being the faithful companions that they are, dogs also serve in many important service duties in society. While canine health research directly improves dog welfare, it is important for us human too, because we have many common diseases.
Clinical studies seek the causes for various diseases while developing new or better methods of diagnosis and treatment. The information gleaned from the research also helps to prevent illnesses.
Genetic research studies the connections between genes and hereditary diseases among dogs. A genetic discovery can lead to a genetic test being developed for a disease, which can prevent the breeding of more sick dogs.
The research requires sufficient funding. We ask all dog lovers to help us promote the health of our pets, to track the genes that cause illness and to find the best treatments.
A donation from every dog lover, however big or small, will have a major impact on promoting research focused on canine health and welfare. With the Canine Health Research Fund, even small donations can turn into major support for canine research.
The Canine Health Research Fund supports the development of canine health care by granting funding for the University of Helsinki’s canine research projects.
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Kennel Club established the fund for canine health research in 2009. The purpose of this fund is to promote research focused on dog health, especially clinical and genetic research, conducted at the University of Helsinki or in cooperation with the University. The University of Helsinki manages the fund in a centralised manner and pays the fund a fixed annual return of 5%. The use of the funds is determined by an administrative committee, which features representatives from both the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Kennel Club.