Adopting one dog is both a life-changing and a rewarding decision in equal measure, and adopting two is even more so.
Amazingly, one family who adopted a bonded pair back in 2018 have found out that the dogs are actually sisters through DNA testing – so they’re sure to be enjoying plenty of the best dog treats in celebration.
Julie Shannon and her family adopted Betty and Bean, who were found abandoned in Texas the previous year, in 2018. They were told that the two canines most likely bonded in their animal shelter when they shared a kennel due to overcrowding.
Because their bond was so strong, it was decided that they would be adopted out as a bonded pair. When Shannon and her family saw their photo online, they’d already been in rescue care for a year with little interest, and they finally brought them home in December 2018 after they’d been fostered in Canada. In 2020, they relocated to the UK.
Shannon gave Betty and Bean used one of the best dog DNA tests – a Wisdom Panel kit, and their results showed that they are full sisters.
“I haven't stopped crying!” she said. “I feel shocked because, although in hindsight it makes so much sense! We always just assumed they were best friends and that they had bonded in the shelter because they were likely brought in together or already knew one another. They also look nothing alike!”
She continued, “To know that they are full sisters means everything to us. Betty and Bean are our family and now we know they were a family first! It's so heartwarming to know that even though they didn't have the easiest start in life, they have actually always had each other from the very beginning. Thank goodness the rescue decided to keep them together.”
Sharing footage of the moment she found out that the two canines are sisters on Instagram, Shannon wrote: “The results are shocking and yet now it all makes so much sense. I wonder if they were trying to tell us this whole time? So grateful to know all I can about my special girls and with such ease. We couldn’t recommend the experience more.”
The test results also showed that the dogs both have a lot of toy poodle in them, as well as Chihuahua. This was no surprise – they had thought Bean looked like a Chihuahua – but they expected Betty to be some sort of terrier or schnauzer.
Read next: I tested my dog’s DNA to find out her ancestry, here’s five things I learned
