Everyone would like to make their money stretch farther these days. Well here’s one way your money can go twice as far while making a real impact on the health of dogs. From now until August 26, 2019, you can double your dollars by donating to the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. This groundbreaking study is the largest and most comprehensive prospective canine health study ever undertaken in veterinary medicine in the United States. It’s purpose is to identify the nutritional, environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases in dogs. Each year with the help of veterinarians and dog owners, the Foundation collects health, environmental and behavioral data on over 3,000 enrolled Golden Retrievers, affectionately known as “Heroes.” By making a gift to the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study this month, you can double the impact of your support of their lifesaving research, thanks to an anonymous donor who will match all donations up to $50,000!

Golden Retrievers were chosen for the study for several reasons, including a suspected higher risk for cancer development, genetics, and the popularity of the breed, which led to easier enrollment across the country. Specifically the goal of this study is to find the potential risk factors for four types of cancers common in Golden Retrievers: lymphoma and osteosarcoma, which are dramatically similar to the same cancers in humans, as well as hemangiosarcoma and mast cell tumors. The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study will also help scientists and veterinarians learn valuable information on other ways to improve the health of our dogs.

Now in it’s 7th year, the massive amount of data they are collecting is yielding information. For example, they recently shared their initial findings between the link of obesity and orthopedic injuries and the age of when a dog is spayed or neutered. Also based on the data generated, they are currently funding research into tick borne diseases. In addition later this year they plan to launch Data Commons which will be an open data resource platform of the comprehensive health information they have collected and will make it available for animal and biomedical health researchers. This will provide more opportunities for researchers to find associations between potential risk factors and diseases in dogs, as well as biomedical researchers to use the data to advance human health.

Please consider making a gift today. Your support will help researchers find solutions for cancers and other serious health issues facing our dogs, including better health screens, diagnostics and treatments. To learn more about this groundbreaking canine lifetime study and their initial findings, please visit MorrisAnimalFoundation.org, and for the latest updates follow them on Facebook or Twitter.