Mars Petcare creates database of dog and cat genomes

Mars Petcare is partnering with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a world leader in the genetic and molecular analysis of diseases, to create one of the largest open-access cat and dog genome databases in the world.

Genomes from 10 000 dogs and 10 000 cats enrolled in the Mars Petcare Biobank initiative will be sequenced over the next 10 years. Insights from the open-access database can help advance individualised pet health care for future generations of dogs and cats, says the company.

Mars Petcare anticipates releasing the first raw genome sequences as soon as they become available throughout 2023, with additional, processed data to follow as pets are enrolled in the biobank study.