CASE STUDY

Canine Scent Detection Program: Canines for Care

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) was the first health care organization in the world to operationalize its Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) canine scent detecting program, which helps detect and reduce C. difficile infection rates in health care settings. The program was about to grow with the addition of two new dogs, who would begin to use the power of their noses to detect unseen threats to human health, and we were tasked with generating a lot of buzz for the cute newcomers.

VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation helped launch Canines for Care by providing funding to the original pilot program, which was proven so successful it became permanently embedded at VCH. The Foundation continues to provide ongoing funding for Canines for Care.

With more than 300 million olfactory receptors, dogs are known to be able to detect unseen threats to human health, including bacterial and viral infections and cancer, and their accuracy can be comparable to certain laboratory diagnostic tests.

What We Did

We developed a strategic communications campaign that:

Highlighted the two newest members of the Canines for Care team, Arti and Anton, while generating awareness for Canines for Care and the growing program across B.C. and Canada.
Provided media training and enhanced our clients' profile by landing interview spots on some of Canada's most coveted news stations, including Global News and National Post.
Helped shift perceptions around canine scent detection effectiveness - the program has proven to be more effective than machine technologies to do the same job, and provides revenues that are re-invested in research.

MEDIA STORIES