Unfortunately, many dogs spend most of their lives on the streets or moving between shelters before finding their forever home.
One of them is Vardis, a 3-year-old mixed breed dog who lives in Chicago, USA. He had been alone all his life, moving from one foster home to another, but never finding a place he could call home forever.
Jump between hiding places
Beautiful black dog with flowers on a leash
Little Vardis had a rough childhood, but not much was known about him until he ended up at an animal shelter in Chicago called One Tail at a Time (OTAT). In the summer of 2021, he was picked up by the Chicago Animal Care and Control Center and taken to the OTAT Adoption Center.
There, they discovered that little Vardis was suffering from severe pneumonia, which could be life-threatening if not treated properly. Fortunately, the loved ones at OTAT Animal Shelter provided Vardis with all the medical care and love he needed for a full recovery.
From there, Vardis went to her first foster home at Linsey Loan. With Lynsey’s help, she was able to experience what a happy life at home was like.
Interested in finding out what kind of dog Vardis actually was, Lynsey ordered an Embark dog DNA test.
When the results finally came back, everyone was shocked to find out that Vardis was actually 50% Golden Retriever, 45.5% American Bully, and 4.5% Bulldog.
Combined, Vardis was a 100% playful love bug.
From Lynsey’s home, Vardis went to another foster family, Jessica Jones, where he stayed for the entire year.
Embark DNA Testing Unveils A Miraculous Reunion
Over the 1.5 years that Vardis was a part of the OTAT animal shelter, he became a staff and volunteer favorite.
Everyone loved his big goofy energy, giant head, and sweet nature. His adoption description said:
“He is the sweetest, funnest, cuddliest, friendliest dog you’ll ever meet! He is a definite extrovert, and loves to get out of the house and meet the neighbors! He has lots of people and dog friends, and is always looking to make more.”
Although it was nice to have his DNA results, this didn’t exactly affect his day-to-day life, all until one day.
Then, Vardis’ first foster mom, Lynsey, received an email from someone who did the same kind of dog DNA test, and they found out that their dog was actually related to Vardis!
It turned out that Vardis had a long-lost sister named Brunch.
Lynsey immediately gave all the information to Jessica, and they were actually able to schedule a playdate for the two dogs.
“I was a little nervous leading up to the meeting because Brunch’s family had indicated that Brunch can be a little selective when meeting new dogs, and Vardis also has had mixed experiences with meeting other dogs,” Jones told The Dodo.
However, as soon as the two siblings saw each other, they were immediately very comfortable and almost like best friends. It was almost as if they were never apart.
They played together, explored the front yard with sniffs, and did zoomies in the backyard. It was heartwarming to see.
In the end, they both got their favorite snack – a cheese stick.
Hopefully, they will be able to meet again, but it is nice to know that Vardis is not all alone.
From Shelter To Family
Brunch’s family was unfortunately not the best fit for Vardis since both dogs required a single dog home, so Vardis’ lookout for a forever home continued.
After almost three years of living on the streets, bouncing from shelter to shelter, and going from one foster home to another, Vardis finally was adopted in March, 2023.
Vardis, who now goes by Bo, moved to Berwyn, Illinois, with his dad. He is absolutely thriving and is finally very loved.
