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Photo of Scout, a dog that inspired millions of dollars of donations to UW–Madison's veterinary school for canine cancer research.

10 Feb Legacy continues for dog whose cancer treatment at UW–Madison inspired millions

Posted at 14:59h in Clinical Trials, Clinical Research, UW–Madison by

By Meghan Lepisto, UW–Madison

Long after the last play was called in the 2020 Super Bowl and fans and players left the stadium, an amiable golden retriever named Scout, who appeared in a 30-second commercial during the game’s second quarter, has continued to inspire animal lovers worldwide.

The 2020 commercial, titled “Lucky Dog,” shared Scout’s cancer treatment journey at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine and encouraged viewers to donate to the school’s cancer research efforts. Scout was part of the family of David MacNeil, founder and CEO of WeatherTech. The company, a manufacturer of automotive accessories and home and pet care products, paid for the ad.

Scout passed away in March 2020 but will make an in-memoriam appearance in WeatherTech’s 2023 Super Bowl commercial this Sunday. Viewers can continue to support the Pets Make a Difference Fund to advance cancer treatments and technology at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine.

Since Scout’s heartwarming story was first shared globally, more than a million dollars have been raised to support the School of Veterinary Medicine’s efforts to better diagnose, treat and prevent cancer and identify new cancer-fighting drugs and treatments. New and recurring donors from all 50 states and around the world have made gifts toward the school’s cancer research as recently as last week. Read more …