Dog DNA test reveals that family’s new rescue dog is a cousin of their late German shepherd

Losing a pet is never easy. After all, a pet is more than just an animal adopted to keep you company – they become an irreplaceable part of the family and touch lives in their own special ways. They’re incredibly loyal and dependable, even equipped with the remarkable ability to rescue and save lives. That’s why the loss of a pet comes with tremendous heartbreak. Special as other pets are, one can never take the place of the pet who succumbed to old age or sickness.

But it’s wonderful to know that these inevitable circumstances can lead to something incredible.

Pexels - Eddie Galaxy Source: Pexels - Eddie Galaxy

Nicole Sopko and Dan Staackman, founders of a Chicago-based vegan food company called Upton’s Natural, once had a German Shepherd mix named Greta.

She was adopted back in 2007 when Dan adopted her from the Heartland Animal Shelter. It didn’t take long for the loving dog to become a happy part of Upton’s Natural’s office.

Sadly, she died at 14 years old.

To keep Greta’s memory alive and help other shelter animals, Nicole and Dan decided to donate 100% of their sales to the same animal shelter as well as to One Tail at a Time.

Eventually, they decided to adopt another German Shepherd mix. They named the 8-year-old dog Frida.

Frida was once a stray who was picked up by the Palm Valley Animal Society during a winter storm. The kind folks who rescued her decided to transfer her to a more spacious dog shelter in Chicago.

Nicole and Dan decided to get an Embark dog DNA test just so they could learn more about their dog’s background. They were already familiar with the test as they had the same done with Greta but they weren’t expecting such incredible results.

Frida’s DNA test showed that she and Greta were biologically related, sharing 6% of their DNA. How amazing to discover that both German Shepherds were first or second cousins!

Nicole shares,

“Like most people who share their lives with an animal, we were devastated by the loss of our dog, Greta. When we found Frida, we knew that she was meant to be in our family, but we had no idea that she was also Greta’s biological family. I don’t know what the chances are of that happening, but it confirmed for us that some things are just meant to be.”

The happy coincidence even gave Nicole and Dan another superb idea for their other business, Liberation Donuts. In celebration of the DNA results, the two decided to launch a “Cousin Frida” donut. Moreover, they donated the sales from their Total Liberation Donut to support One Tail at a Time’s Pet Mutual Aid program.

Nicole and Dan’s selfless reaction to the good news shows just how wonderfully a dog can change one’s life.

They’re able to help many others, enjoy how Greta’s memory lives on, and experience the irreplaceable joy of having Frida as she showers them with enough love and joy to last a lifetime.

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Source: People, FM104, Instagram – uptonsnaturals, Instagram – liberationdonuts

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