This Synthetic Dog Could Save Canine Lives

SynDaver Labs wants to revolutionize veterinary education and even save lives. The company, which specializes in creating synthetic human cadavers, has developed the first hyper-realistic synthetic dog for use by veterinary students, according to Popular Science.

The synthetic canine has almost everything a living dog has: muscles, organs, bones, and even blood. The only thing the fake pup lacks is fur—instead, it’s covered in bubblegum-pink synthetic skin.

According to WFTS, there’s a sad irony to the way many veterinary education programs operate: Though students are training to save lives, they’re often forced to participate in classes in which shelter dogs undergo surgery and are later euthanized. SynDaver says the synthetic canine is aimed at saving the lives of shelter dogs by making terminal surgery labs obsolete.

The company hopes veterinary schools will begin to replace real dogs with their synthetic canine. They’re currently raising funds on IndieGoGo with the aim of providing the anatomically correct pupper stand-ins, which cost a lofty $28,500, to schools for free. Watch the video below to learn more about the revolutionary SynDaver dog, but be forewarned, the strange-looking dog is not for the squeamish and faint of heart.

[h/t Popular Science]