Rescue Dog DNA Reveals Heartwarming Surprise

Quick Smiles:

• DNA update brought a joyful and curious moment for Gwen’s family.
• A 72 percent match sparked a heartwarming mystery about shelter pups.
• Neighbors and strangers celebrated Gwen’s adventurous spirit and sweet nature.

After losing her beloved pup Gwen to cancer last year, owner Valerie was comforted by an emotional surprise when an Embark DNA update showed a 72 percent match to a dog named Jake who was born years later. The finding, shared on Reddit by u/Hungry-Emu-6732, sparked a warm-hearted mystery about how two pups born eight years apart could show such a close connection.

“Hey there, we lost my sweet girl, Gwen, last year to cancer. A few years before she passed we had the Embark DNA test done. Lots of cousins, etc. but, today we got an update that they found a sibling-72 percent match,” the post read.

“However, this dog was born in 2022. We adopted Gwen in 2016 and she was estimated to be about 2 at that time, meaning she was born in 2014. What are the chances her parents had another litter 8 years later, or what other connection could this be?”

“I believe the sample was switched between the two dogs; that’s what makes sense. I just didn’t have a lot of faith in the results after the one sample was temporarily lost. But, seeing the ‘sibling’ connection for Gwen, that pup has a very similar face to Sparky. I haven’t heard back from the owner who I messaged on the app,” Valerie said.

“It was in theory cool to see the results, if they are accurate. Especially with shelter dogs, mutts, it’s neat to know a little more about their history, which can point to some of their personality traits/quirks, etc., as well as give you an idea of health conditions they may be predisposed to.”

Valerie fondly remembers Gwen as a sweet, adventurous running buddy who came from Foothills Animal Shelter in Colorado and even took a memorable RV road trip from Colorado to Florida during the pandemic. The Reddit post quickly drew attention and kind responses, leaving Valerie hopeful for a reply and grateful for the chance to celebrate Gwen’s life.

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