Ben Williams

Published Aug 25, 2026

A small New York City company has created a pair of hypoallergenic beagles using CRISPR gene-editing technology, according to a new published study. While the procedure could create opportunities for people who are allergic to dogs to own pets, some say it could take attention away from shelters and rescue animals who are in need of homes.

Matt Walker, owner of Kindred Companion Sciences, was lead author of a published paper in The CRISPR Journal, titled “Targeted Genetic Knockout of Can f 1, the Major Allergen in Dogs.”

In the paper, Walker describes the process of editing the DNA in beagle skin cells to switch off the main gene responsible for producing an allergy-causing protein known as Canis familiaris allergen 1, or Can f 1. According to the researchers, Can f 1 is responsible for the majority of allergic reactions in people who are allergic to dogs, which is about 15% of the population.

Then they transferred the edited DNA into eggs that were implanted into a surrogate beagle mother. She gave birth to two healthy female puppies named Alfie and Bailey in late 2024.

These findings provide proof-of-principle that precise genome editing can be used to selectively eliminate an environmental allergen at its biological source.Matt Walker
Author, CRISPR Journal study on creating hypoallergenic dogs

To test whether the process worked, the team tested different extracts from dog saliva, hair, and dander on a human volunteer (Walker) to see if they would cause any reaction. Following a skin prick test, Walker’s arm showed allergic reactions to extracts from poodle and goldendoodle samples (two dog breeds that are sometimes touted as “hypoallergenic”), but showed no reaction to extracts from the two genetically edited beagles.

“These findings provide proof-of-principle that precise genome editing can be used to selectively eliminate an environmental allergen at its biological source, representing a conceptual departure from conventional allergy therapeutics that primarily act by modulating the patient’s immune response,” the paper says.

But genetically edited pets could have a negative side as well, said Emily Singler, VMD, veterinarian and Veterinary Content Specialist for AAHA.

“While there’s undoubtedly a market for truly hypoallergenic pets, this type of technology has the potential to encourage those looking to adopt a new pet to look toward purchasing a gene-edited pet over a pet sitting in a shelter in need of a new home,” Singler said. “While this and other types of genome editing are likely years from being widely available and will probably not be able to compete cost-wise with the cost of a shelter adoption, it’s worth considering the effects such technology may have on pet overpopulation.”

Since their birth, Alfie and Bailey have been monitored by veterinarians for any adverse effects from the procedure, and have “exhibited no clinically apparent health abnormalities to date,” the researchers said.

Walker admits that while the study shows that the procedure is possible, it is not meant to prove anything beyond its immediate scope—for now.

“This work was designed as a targeted proof-of-concept study rather than a comprehensive assessment of genome-wide editing outcomes or population-level phenotypes,” he wrote.

However, Walker noted that his company, Kindred Companion Sciences, did submit a patent for the procedure, so someday in the not-too-distant future we may see more genetically edited dogs.

Photo credit: kobkik via iStock/Getty Images Plus (Note: Stock photo, does not picture the dogs mentioned in this article)

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