On Mar. 10, 2021, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, announced  the start a new scientific study: Testing pets of those Arizonans who have contracted COVID-19.

No pets will be harmed during this study as all sample collections will be performed by trained veterinary staff. Among the more than 120 pets that have tested positive nationwide, there is no evidence suggesting that pets can spread the virus to humans.

TGen received a grant from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to conduct a pilot study to investigate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in animals. The funds come from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). So far, four pets — two dogs, and two cats –have tested positive for COVID-19 in Arizona.