A post shared on Facebook claims Mississippi legislators are discussing the use of pregnancy-sniffing dogs to deter pregnant women from leaving the state to seek abortions.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence that Mississippi legislators are actively discussing such a measure. The legislature adjourned on April 5, weeks before Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court.

Fact Check:

Mississippi’s last remaining abortion clinic closed down on Wednesday ahead of the state’s implementation of a near-total abortion ban, according to CBS News. A Facebook post claims the state is also discussing additional measures to prevent abortions.

Check Your Fact found no evidence to support this claim. There are no credible news reports about such a measure being discussed by legislators in Mississippi or elsewhere. There is no mention of pregnancy-sniffing dogs in any bill listed on the Mississippi state legislature’s website. The state’s 2022 legislative session ended April 5, weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade opening the door for new state restrictions on abortion. 

The claim appears to have originated from a viral July 1 tweet sent by filmmaker and comedian Chip Franklin. The original tweet has been shared over 11,000 times. (RELATED: Did The Atlantic Publish This Article About ‘The Environmental Impact Of Overturning Roe’?)

Mississippi legislators openly discuss using dogs at airports to sniff women leaving the state.

The dogs can tell if a woman is pregnant.

— Chip Franklin.com (@chipfranklin) July 1, 2022

Numerous false and misleading claims have spread online in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim that Kentucky requires women “of child-bearing age” to submit monthly statements confirming whether or not they are pregnant.