Dogs do more than play fetch. They help cure cancer.

We all know that dogs are cute and love you unconditionally, but did you know that they are incredibly similar, genetically, to humans? Canines have 80 percent genetic similarity to humans (versus only 67 percent for mice). And — unlike laboratory mice — they naturally get cancer.

All dog breeds develop similar cancers to humans, and when they’re treated their cancer responds in a similar way. So drug trials with them not only help us learn how to treat cancer in dogs, but they help us learn how the cancer will affect humans too. (All dogs that were studied developed cancer naturally.)

And you thought just walking your dog was good for your health.

Check out the full story here.