Penn Vet Working Dog Center

Happy 4th birthday Trulee! Trulee (Cedars Point Kennel) is a detection research K9 for SUNY Cobleskill.
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PC: Wise K9 Photography

Still looking for a summer activity for you child? Look no further! We still have 3 spots available for the July 20-24 week of Canine Handler Academy.

7th-9th graders (2026-2027 school year) will be immersed in the world of training search and rescue, law enforcement, medical detection, and conservation dogs. Campers will also get hands-on experience with canine fitness, behavior, and positive reinforcement training.

Scholarships are available for those who qualify for the NSLP. Apply for a scholarship.

Give your child a one-of-a-kind summer experience that they will never forget!

Learn more and register at https://capable-canine.com/canine-handler-academy/

Happy belated 11th Birthday Scout and happy 4th birthday Ruby! Scout (Three Cedars Retrievers) is a narcotics detection K9. Ruby (Sanguine Dutch Shepherds)! Ruby is trained to detect the Spotted Lanternfly for the PA Department of Agriculture partnered with Shelby Zakrewski.
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PC: Wise K9 Photography

Happy 12th Birthday to our P-Litter (TSA)! All of these pups are out working in phenomenal careers and we couldn't be more proud of them!

Pinto: Human Remains Detection K9, NJ-TF1 (EOW 9.20.23)
Parsons (aka Roxie P.): Narcotics Detection K9
Patterson: Explosives Detection K9
Packer: Urban Search & Rescue Live Find, WA-TF1
Punches: Diabetic Alert
Pak: Urban Search & Rescue Live Find, MA-TF1
Philip: Human Remains Detection K9, Oswego County NY
Pierce: Explosives Detection K9, Silver State K9 (EOW 11.15.23)
Pearl: Explosives Detection K9, Silver State K9 (EOW 3.20.24)

Canine olfaction is moving from field work to the laboratory. In the latest episode of the Speaking of Pets podcast, Dr. Cynthia Otto and Dr. Clara Wilson discuss their groundbreaking research paper: Trained Dogs Can Detect the Odor of Hemangiosarcoma in Canine Blood Samples.

Discover how the Penn Vet Working Dog Center is unleashing the power of a dog's nose to achieve over 70% accuracy in detecting a devastating, silent cancer—sometimes even flagging discrepancies that stumped traditional pathologists. A must-listen for anyone interested in veterinary medicine, canine cognition, and the future of early cancer screening.

🔗 Tune in to Episode 117 here: https://soppodcast.com/training-dogs-to-sniff-out-cancer-sop-ep-117-dr-cynthia-otto-dr-clara-wilson

We had to share this wonderful full circle moment before Anka’s graduation and journey to joining FDNY.

We had the privilege of welcoming the family of her namesake back to the PVWDC, a heartfelt reminder of the meaningful connections within our working dog community and the lasting impact these dogs leave behind.

Anka (donated by James & Samantha Plackemeier; sponsors by John Moore) was named in honor of Glassboro PD K9 Anka, handled by Ofc. Chuck Williams, whose life was tragically cut short.

From the day Anka arrived at the PVWDC, we hoped to honor her namesake’s legacy through purpose, partnership, and service. Moments like these remind us how supportive the working dog community truly is, and how every dog represents something bigger than themselves.

Glassboro Police Department

Cindy Otto, professor of Working Dog Sciences & Sports Medicine and executive director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, has been talking to animals her whole life, but when she started listening, the magic really happened. ✨

In honor of her retirement at the end of this year after over 35 years of dedicated service to Penn Vet, Dr. Otto will be hosting a virtual lecture to share lessons drawn from her canine companions, heroic working dogs, one ridiculously smart cat, a wild black vulture, a tiny puffer fish, and other creatures that have crossed, brightened, and enlightened her path.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration Required.

🐕 Lessons from a Lifetime of Listening to Dogs and Other Amazing Animals
🗓️ June 11, 2026, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
🔗 Register today: https://bit.ly/49nMQ9F

‼There are 4 spots available for the July 20-24 week of Canine Handler Academy‼

7th-9th graders (2026-2027 school year) will be immersed in the world of training search and rescue, law enforcement, medical detection, and conservation dogs. Campers will also get hands-on experience with canine fitness, behavior, and positive reinforcement training.

Scholarships are available for those who qualify for the NSLP. Apply for a scholarship.

Give your child a one-of-a-kind summer experience that they will never forget!

Learn more and register at https://capable-canine.com/canine-handler-academy/

Thank you for your time and energy! Our volunteers help keep our center working and we are so grateful for the help!

Last week, Vicinity's Philadelphia team volunteered at the University of Pennsylvania Penn Vet Working Dog Center 🙌 🐕‍🦺

The Vicinity team helped with clearing out, cleaning, and reorganizing materials used for the dog living spaces and agility courses. Thank you to the Penn Vet team for having us!

Happy 7th Birthday Lolli! Lolli (Vom Eisenraben Working German Shepherds) is a retired dual purpose police K9 formerly for West Conshohocken PD partnered with Officer Daniel Webster.
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PC: Wise K9 Photography