Out of all the dogs in the country, these long-lost siblings recognized each other immediately.
Two dog owners were walking through Pike Place Market in Seattle, and they each had a Golden Retriever by their side. The dogs and their owners were enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the bustling marketplace as if it were any other day.
Eventually, the two pairs crossed paths. They thought it was a normal dog behavior when the two identical-looking dogs insisted on meeting, but the happy encounter turned out to be much more.
As the dogs pulled their way toward each other, the humans on the other ends of the leashes gave in to allow their pups the chance to meet a new friend. The joyful encounter was full of tail wags, happy barks, and lots of playing. As the owners started talking, they made a surprising realization.
Both dogs had been flown to the U.S. from Russia to be adopted. That in itself was an unlikely coincidence, but through further conversation, they learned the dogs landed on U.S. soil on the exact same day at the exact same airport. If that wasn't enough to convince the owners of the connection, they each pointed out identifying tattoos given to their dogs when they were puppies. The tattoos were an exact match.
The odds of the two Russian-born litter mates ever seeing each other again were basically zero, but in the middle of Pike Place Market, they found each other again. A passerby was lucky enough to get the reunion on video, and she says it was obvious the dogs recognized each other. The improbable reunion lasted for about 30 minutes, and the dogs were overjoyed to be reunited with their long-lost sibling.
When it was time to part ways, the dog owners exchanged phone numbers and planned to schedule regular doggy play dates. Their average trip to the market turned into a day they'll never forget.
This article was originally published February 14, 2018.
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