Finn, part of Vancouver’s canine scent detection team, dies unexpectedly

Staff at Vancouver Coastal Health are mourning a member of their team Thursday — Finn, a member of the canine scent detection team.

The springer spaniel was one of the dogs working to help detect and reduce cases of C. difficile in the health-care environment.

Finn had been working with his handler for three years in the program and was part of advancing the research around COVID-19 scent detection.

In a statement, Vancouver Coastal Health said Finn died of an unexpected illness but confirmed it was not due to COVID-19.

3:41 Health Matters: COVID sniffing canine

“He was an energetic, hardworking dog and our team will sincerely miss his presence and remain grateful for his work and the happiness he instilled in those who met him,” Coastal Health said in a statement.

Dogs have more than 300 million olfactory receptors, compared with 400 in humans, and the health authority said last August that the finely tuned ability to detect COVID-19 could also make dogs invaluable at airport screening sites, on cruise ships and at public events.

— with files from The Canadian Press