The 16 adorable dogs, cats and rabbits up for adoption at RSPCA Leeds and Wakefield

The charity homes the animals, some of which arrived as they could no longer be cared for by their previous owner, at a centre in East Ardsley. Regardless of how they end up there, the animals are cared for until a new home can be found. The RSPCA also offers advice to people who already own pets but may be struggling to cope with the cost of food or healthcare.

Here are all the cats, dogs and rabbits currently being cared for at the centre that have not yet been matched up with the right owners. More information can be found on the RSPCA Leeds and Wakefield website.

One-year-old River is looking for a new home which is cat free, as he is a bit too boisterous around them. He enjoys the company of people and would love his new family to be around a lot of the time. (Photo: RSPCA)
One-year-old River is looking for a new home which is cat free, as he is a bit too boisterous around them. He enjoys the company of people and would love his new family to be around a lot of the time. (Photo: RSPCA)
Seven-year-olds Bob and Dooba were found after they had sadly been abandoned. They would make the perfect duo for any family. (Photo: RSPCA)
Seven-year-olds Bob and Dooba were found after they had sadly been abandoned. They would make the perfect duo for any family. (Photo: RSPCA)
Bob is missing an eye, but the RSPCA team think he was born without it so he has adapted well. He is very affectionate and likes to be in the company of others - he'll happily sit on your lap. (Photo: RSPCA)
Bob is missing an eye, but the RSPCA team think he was born without it so he has adapted well. He is very affectionate and likes to be in the company of others – he’ll happily sit on your lap. (Photo: RSPCA)
Dooba has the greenest of eyes and loves a love a good lap to lay on. He really enjoys being stroked and will even jump on your back! (Photo: RSPCA)
Dooba has the greenest of eyes and loves a love a good lap to lay on. He really enjoys being stroked and will even jump on your back! (Photo: RSPCA)
These beautiful huskies went through a lot of neglect before coming to the centre, and waited months before they were rehomed - sadly, it was not their forever home and they are back again. (Photo: RSPCA)
These beautiful huskies went through a lot of neglect before coming to the centre, and waited months before they were rehomed – sadly, it was not their forever home and they are back again. (Photo: RSPCA)
Tala is eight years old and very laidback - she love a good belly rub and pottering round the garden (Photo: RSPCA)
Tala is eight years old and very laidback – she love a good belly rub and pottering round the garden (Photo: RSPCA)
Goose is permanently on the move but so affectionate and loving towards his favourite people. He enjoys a good brush and cuddle. (Photo: RSPCA)
Goose is permanently on the move but so affectionate and loving towards his favourite people. He enjoys a good brush and cuddle. (Photo: RSPCA)
Two-year-old Rodger has a huge character and love for attention and being around people. He's quite confident once settled and will happily come up and say hello - he enjoys a stroke and fuss too. (Photo: RSPCA)
Two-year-old Rodger has a huge character and love for attention and being around people. He’s quite confident once settled and will happily come up and say hello – he enjoys a stroke and fuss too. (Photo: RSPCA)
Four-year-old Taz is a GSD x Akita who came to the centre last year after a family could no longer adopt her. She went through lots of training and was adopted again but this did not work out for her. Now, she is ready to find her forever family. (Photo: RSPCA)
Four-year-old Taz is a GSD x Akita who came to the centre last year after a family could no longer adopt her. She went through lots of training and was adopted again but this did not work out for her. Now, she is ready to find her forever family. (Photo: RSPCA)More
Three-month-old kittens Kenickie and Sandy arrived at the RSPCA along with three of their siblings, who have now been reserved. They are hoping to be adopted as a pair and are still very young, so their new forever family will need to be around a lot to keep them entertained. (Photo: RSPCA)
Three-month-old kittens Kenickie and Sandy arrived at the RSPCA along with three of their siblings, who have now been reserved. They are hoping to be adopted as a pair and are still very young, so their new forever family will need to be around a lot to keep them entertained. (Photo: RSPCA)More
Sandy is super soppy and loves a lap nap (Photo: RSPCA)
Sandy is super soppy and loves a lap nap (Photo: RSPCA)
Kenickie is always on the go and looking for the next toy to play with (Photo: RSPCA)
Kenickie is always on the go and looking for the next toy to play with (Photo: RSPCA)
This one-year-old rabbit is a handsome, chunky and curious lad. He loves to people watch and enjoys being around and sniffing people, although can get wary when being stroked. (Photo: RSPCA)
This one-year-old rabbit is a handsome, chunky and curious lad. He loves to people watch and enjoys being around and sniffing people, although can get wary when being stroked. (Photo: RSPCA)
This is mother and daughter duo Audrey and Fran. The cheeky Chihuahuas, aged nine and five, do everything together - eating, napping and playing. (Photo: RSPCA)
This is mother and daughter duo Audrey and Fran. The cheeky Chihuahuas, aged nine and five, do everything together – eating, napping and playing. (Photo: RSPCA)
Mum Audrey is shyer than Fran and can take longer to trust new people, but once she's comfortable, she loves a cuddle. (Photo: RSPCA)
Mum Audrey is shyer than Fran and can take longer to trust new people, but once she’s comfortable, she loves a cuddle. (Photo: RSPCA)
Fran always checks out new visitors, giving them the sniff of approval. The pair would suit a family experienced with Chihuahuas, and a calm, quiet and patient home with older children would be ideal. (Photo: RSPCA)
Fran always checks out new visitors, giving them the sniff of approval. The pair would suit a family experienced with Chihuahuas, and a calm, quiet and patient home with older children would be ideal. (Photo: RSPCA)
Bluebell and Buttercup are a closely-bonded pair of sisters who do almost everything together. They're about three months old and are big foodies, they love their greens – and they're very curious and playful. (Photo: RSPCA)
Bluebell and Buttercup are a closely-bonded pair of sisters who do almost everything together. They’re about three months old and are big foodies, they love their greens – and they’re very curious and playful. (Photo: RSPCA)
Zeus, a Staffie X, is a three-year-old bundle of energy and is looking for a family willing to offer unconditional love and keep up with his training. He can be unsure of other dogs so would suit a family that could help him feel comfortable when out on walks. Despite getting over excited at times, he loves a cuddle. (Photo: RSPCA)
Zeus, a Staffie X, is a three-year-old bundle of energy and is looking for a family willing to offer unconditional love and keep up with his training. He can be unsure of other dogs so would suit a family that could help him feel comfortable when out on walks. Despite getting over excited at times, he loves a cuddle. (Photo: RSPCA)More
Luca is a happy-go-lucky bun who really enjoys a quiet and relaxing life.  The one-year-old is super sweet and enjoy the company of people, he likes to be stroked whilst sat next to his favourite people.
Luca is a happy-go-lucky bun who really enjoys a quiet and relaxing life. The one-year-old is super sweet and enjoy the company of people, he likes to be stroked whilst sat next to his favourite people. 

Can dogs really detect Covid-19 infections faster and more accurately than a lateral flow test?

Results indicated that not only can dogs detect Covid faster, but they can also do so in a non-intrusive manner – so no need to swab your throat or nose

Dogs can detect Covid-19 faster and more accurately than a PCR test, a new study shows.

Researchers looked at the ability of canines to recognise the virus and its variants, even when they are obscured by other viruses, like those from common colds and flu.

More than 400 scientists from over 30 countries contributed to the study as well as 147 scent dogs, according to the findings published in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine.

After analysing many studies covering both field and clinical experiments, Professor Dickey and Junqueira found that dogs who are trained to sniff out scents are “as effective and often more effective” than antigen tests.

A total of 53 dogs were trained to sniff out Covid scents, while 37 were not and scientists found that the dogs that were not trained were in some cases “slightly superior” to those that were pre-trained.

“The previously untrained dogs have the advantage that they are not as prone to indicating on scents other than the Covid–19 associated scent,” the paper said.

The results indicated that not only can dogs detect Covid faster, but they can also do so in a non-intrusive manner. This means you won’t need to put a swab in your throat or nose.

How can dogs detect the virus?

This essentially comes down to the dog’s highly evolved nose with its ability to sense out smells quicker.

Dogs possess up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to about six million in humans. And the part of a dog’s brain that is devoted to analysing smells is about “40 times greater” than humans. Canines also have ‘neophilia’, which means they are attracted to new and interesting odours

And so, with all these enhancements, dogs can detect very low concentrations of odours associated with Covid infections.

“They can detect the equivalent of one drop of an odorous substance in 10.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools,” Professor Dickey said. “For perspective, this is about three orders of magnitude better than with scientific instrumentation.”

Scientists also found that in some cases, the animals were also able to detect the virus in pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, “whose viral load was too low for conventional tests to work.”

Professor Dickey has said that dogs can also differentiate Covid and its different variants in the presence of other respiratory viruses. This included the common cold or flu.

“They’re much more effective. In fact, one of the authors that we quote in the paper commented that the RT-PCR test is not the gold standard anymore. It’s the dog. And they’re so quick,” he added. “They can give you the yes or no within seconds if they’re directly smelling you.”

How was the study conducted to see if dogs can really detect Covid-19?

In some studies, the dogs gave a person a quick sniff, sitting down to see if the person has Covid. In another study, the dog was given a sweat sample to smell for a few minutes.

The press release has said that scent dogs, such as beagles, basset hounds and coonhounds are the ideal candidates for sniffing out the virus, given their “natural tendencies to rely on odours to relate to the world.”

But the studies which the researchers analysed showed a variety of dogs were up for the challenge and were able to sniff out the Covid odour. With a few weeks of training, puppies, older dogs, purebred and mixed breeds, both male and female were able to sniff such odours out and “all performed admirably,” the Eureka Alert press release said.

Although there has been success with dogs detecting such viruses, researchers believe there are still many challenges with using dogs for medical diagnoses.

“There’s quite a bit of research, but it’s still considered by many as a kind of a curiosity,” said Professor Dickey.

In conclusion, Professor Dickey and Junqueira said after reviewing the studies, believe that scent dogs deserve “their place as a serious diagnostic methodology that could be particularly useful during future pandemics, potentially as part of rapid routine health screenings in public spaces.”

“Perhaps, most importantly, we argue that the impressive international quality and quantity of COVID scent dog research described in our paper for the first time, demonstrates that medical scent dogs are finally ready for a host of mainstream medical applications,” they added.

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