DNA testing programs are becoming the new “it” thing. With just a swab from your mouth, scientists can gather useful data about your health, the peculiarities of your body and even date your ancestry back a few decades – if not centuries. They also help you find long-lost relatives and reconnect with them. Surely, there are some bizarre stories out there, but we don’t think they would apply to Wilee, a rescue mutt who just discovered that he has a very large family out there.
More info: TikTok
Cathy did a doggie DNA test on her rescue mutt, wanting to learn more about his breed and health
Image credits: wileefam
Having a dog is one of the greatest responsibilities in the world, although a lot of dog owners regret their life choices when walking their pup at 6am in the middle of January. Those thoughts quickly vanish as soon as the dog looks up with those adorable eyes, filled with love, saying “This is the best”. It makes it all worth it.
Rescue dogs take it one step further – every breath you take, every step you take, they’ll be watching you. No, we’re not talking about the famous song by The Police. Grateful canines want to be in the constant presence of their beloved human who scooped them up from the shelter life and gave them the love and care they deserve. Talk about the dog days being over!
A New Yorker, Cathy, can confirm that rescues give all their heart to you. She adopted her puppy, Wilee, back in 2019 and hasn’t stopped smiling ever since. The couple have been on countless adventures together and have gathered a large following across their social media platforms. One day, Cathy decided to do a doggy DNA test to see if there are any other doggies related to fluffy Wilee.
Both Cathy and Wilee were in a for a pleasant surprise when they discovered Wilee's close family
Image credits: wileefam
Wilee was born at a shelter and got adopted by his human mom as a puppy. Thanks to a DNA test, they were able to find his mommy and siblings
Image credits: wileefam
Image credits: wileefam
Cathy got Wilee’s DNA tested through the Embark platform. She hoped to see if he has any genetic predisposition for certain diseases and wanted to be prepared to guarantee a long and healthy life for her best friend. In addition, she hoped to see if any of his family members could also be found. After she got Wilee’s results, she learned about his unique mix of breeds.
“He is a mix of chow chow, Pomeranian, American Staffordshire terrier and many more. He is a super mutt!” excited Cathy shared in an interview.
A few months later, Embark sent Cathy notifications, announcing that Wilee’s family members have been found. At first, she found his mum, Miss Rita, who looked nothing like Cathy’s dog. His two sisters, however, were almost carbon copies of their gorgeous mummy. Cathy (and maybe Wilee as well) wondered if any of his family would look like him – don’t we all have that one cousin that could pass as our sibling?
Image credits: wileefam
Cathy's heartwarming reaction to the DNA test results has gathered over 1.5M views with hundreds of people gushing about this reunion
Image credits: wileefam
Luckily for Cathy and Wilee, she managed to find his brother Nic, who is a spitting image of Wilee. The excited dog owner posted a video on TikTok which has gathered over 1.5M views and thousands of comments. Cathy could barely contain her joy once she saw handsome Nic.
“I have a theory that all of the girls in his family are solid colors, and they don’t look like Wilee. So, I was really hoping a boy would match. I was like, maybe the boy will look like Wilee,” Cathy pondered.
"This is Nic. Look at this young man. Is this not Wilee? Is this not my dog. I need like 55 more pics of Nic,” Cathy could not stop gushing over her newfound “nephew”.
As soon as the initial excitement subsided, Cathy reached out to Nic’s owner to learn more about him and turns out, not only do they share their handsomeness, but also their character, as both dog brothers are very energetic pups. How cute is that?
Not only does Wilee's brother Nic look like him, but he is also as cheerful and energetic as his sibling
Image credits: wileefam
However, a lot of people expressed concerns about the safety of DNA testing
Image credits: wileefam
Despite the adorable video, a lot of people expressed their concerns about the DNA testing technology. While many agreed it is a great tool to learn about one’s health, a large number of people pointed out that the results often come back inconclusive. And the tests aren’t cheap – Embark's starts from $109, while the 23andMe basic pack for humans costs $79.
However, the unreliability seems to be the least of the concerns. The commenters discussed the safety of their data and worried that it may end up in the wrong hands. Here are a few of the biggest risks:
- Hackers. While the companies do not actively sell the user data, they cannot guarantee complete safety from hacking;
- Companies can change their policies at any time, or simply go out of business – what will happen to the user’s data then?
- There aren’t enough laws in place to cover the subject as this is still relatively new.
While some comments seem like straight from a sci-fi movie scenario, these are genuine risks that should be taken into consideration when preparing to do a test.
Have you ever done a DNA test or maybe used one for your pet?
Watch the video here
