Overview
- Chilli passed final assessments in December 2025 and is now an official member of Medical Detection Dogs’ Bio Detection Team.
- His training focuses on identifying Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with the goal of enabling faster, non-invasive diagnosis for patients.
- Only a small number of dogs worldwide are trained to detect this infection, placing Chilli in a rare cohort.
- A 2019 study with Medical Detection Dogs, Imperial College London and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust reported 94.2% sensitivity and 98.5% specificity in cultured samples.
- Chilli was selected from a Battersea litter, raised by volunteer socialisers, and his charity-led program relies on donations rather than government funding.