For many of the millions of people who love dogs, allergy symptoms have made closeness with a pup hard to imagine.
Now, there is renewed hope that allergies won't get in the way of pet ownership after scientists announced they successfully genetically modified a beagle to be hypoallergenic.
What happened?
According to NBC News, a beagle named Bailey is offering an early sign that dog allergies may be dealt with through gene editing.
Kindred Companion Sciences geneticist Matt Walker took Bailey to Central Park to play fetch, eat peanut butter, and even sit in his lap, a remarkable scene because Walker still has dog allergies.
To create Bailey, Walker and his colleagues used the CRISPR gene-editing technology to switch off the main gene associated with an allergy-causing protein in dogs, as NBC News reported.
The team edited skin cells, transferred that genetic material into eggs, and implanted the eggs into a beagle surrogate, which gave birth to Bailey and her twin, Alfie, in September 2024, according to the outlet.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Researchers with Kindred Companion Sciences say tests on the dogs' fur and saliva did not find that key protein, an exciting confirmation of what could be possible for people with dog allergies. NBC News also reported that in a skin-prick allergy test, Walker had reactions to poodle and goldendoodle skin and saliva samples, but not to samples taken from Bailey and Alfie.
Why does it matter?
If the approach holds up, it could open the door to the companionship, comfort, and day-to-day routine of life with a dog for millions of people whose allergies now prevent it.
That could mean more families able to adopt pets and, potentially, more allergy-friendly service animals.
As NBC News noted, dogs often described as hypoallergenic, including poodles, can still trigger symptoms because those animals still produce allergy-related proteins in their saliva, hair, and dander. Rather than depending on a breed's reputation, this method is designed to reduce the allergy trigger itself.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
