Vardis’ tail didn’t lie: it undoubtedly expressed the immense joy in having found his sister from whom he was separated at birth. The meeting with Brunch showed how dogs recognize each other even after years of separation. The three-year-old four-legged with a difficult life (after living alone he was bounced between shelters and family homes) had a very sweet reaction that moved the network.
Vardis’ story is mysterious. When he arrived in One Tail At A Time (Otat), in 2021, his rescuers knew little about him. The Chicago-based shelter knew that he had been taken in as a puppy by Chicago Animal Care and Control. But how did it get there? Vardis was battling a bad case of pneumonia. Luckily the treatments were successful, and the dog became the centre’s mascot.
To take care of him was the first adoptive mother, Lynsey, who was curious about what could be the breed of that beautiful dark short-haired dog, with which she had fallen in love. So she decided to have Vardis’ DNA analyzed. Surprise: she thought he was mostly a Black Lab, but he was more than half Golden Retriever and 45% American Bull. She passed this information on to Vardis’ second adoptive mother, Jessica Jones, who took him into her home that same year.
Everything flows in everyday life, with the dog bonding with his new family, between games and new experiences. Until, one day, Vardis’ first adoptive mother, Lynsey, receives an e-mail from a person who had subjected her dog to the same DNA test as her. Through Embark’s search function, they discovered that their puppy, Brunch, matched Vardis’ DNA. The dogs appeared to be of the same age and were both from Chicago Animal Care and Control. It was clear: Vardis had found his long-lost sister. The appointment to make them meet is inevitable, with doubts about the reactions of the two as they find their littermate again.
Jones told The Dodo: ‘I was a little nervous before the meeting because Brunch’s family had said he is a bit selective when meeting new dogs, and Vardis has had mixed experiences too. “. But when the two brothers met each other’s eyes, the owners knew there was no need to worry.” They played together as if they’d known each other forever. “The two have very similar playing styles,” Jones said. They ended their date by sharing their favorite snack, a piece of cheese, then kissed goodbye. Jones and Brunch’s parents look forward to reuniting them soon. Meanwhile, Vardis dreams of the perfect home for him. Till until then, he will continue to live in the foster family, which has shown that they love him very much.
