CRISPR-edited beagles lack main dog allergen, study finds

Scientists at Kindred Companion Sciences, a New York-based biotech company, used CRISPR gene editing to produce two beagle puppies without the main protein that causes dog allergies in humans. The puppies, named Alfie and Bailey, were born in September 2024 after researchers edited the genetic code in dog skin cells to switch off the gene responsible for the allergy-causing protein. The edited genetic code was then transferred into eggs implanted in a beagle surrogate.

Tests on the puppies' saliva and fur showed no signs of the allergy-causing protein. Geneticist Matt Walker, who co-founded Kindred Companion Sciences and has severe dog allergies, tested the beagles on himself. He reported no allergic reaction when exposed to Alfie and Bailey, unlike his reactions to other dogs, including breeds marketed as hypoallergenic. The study was published in the CRISPR Journal on 4 September 2026.

Walker, who now lives with Bailey in New York, described the experience as "a mix of relief and awe and gratitude that it worked." He noted that the gene edited in the beagles is present in all dogs, and the company plans to test the technique on other breeds and service animals. However, experts not involved in the study cautioned that the long-term health effects of the genetic edit are unknown, and further testing is needed to confirm the technique's safety and effectiveness across a broader population.

What the coverage left out

None of the digests from left-rated outlets mentioned the ethical concerns raised by bioethicist Arthur Caplan about the potential impact on shelter adoptions. The right-rated digest also omitted this detail. The left-rated digests did not include the name of the CRISPR Journal, where the study was published, though they noted the use of CRISPR technology. The right-rated digest did not mention the journal or the need for long-term health monitoring of the puppies.