Dog DNA testing company identifies human as dog

On Wednesday, WBZ News reported its investigations team receiving dog breed results from the company DNA My Dog after one of its reporters sent in a swab sample – from her own cheek.

According to the results from the Toronto-based company, WBZ News reporter Christina Hager is 40% Alaskan malamute, 35% shar-pei and 25% labrador.

Hager also sent her samples to two other pet genetic testing companies. The Melbourne, Australia- and Florida-based company Orivet reported that the sample “failed to provide the data necessary to perform the breed ID analysis”. Meanwhile, Washington-based company Wisdom Panel said that the sample “didn’t provide … enough DNA to produce a reliable result”.

WBZ News’ latest report comes after its investigations team sent in a sample from New Hampshire pet owner Michelle Leininger’s own cheek to DNA My Dog last year. In turn, the results declared Leininger 40% border collie, 32% cane corso and 28% bulldog.

[…]

Speaking to WBZ News last year following Leininger’s results, Lisa Moses, a Harvard Medical School veterinarian and bioethicist said: “I think that is a red flag for sure … A company should know if they’ve in any basic way analyzed a dog’s DNA, that that is not a dog.”

[…]

Source: Pet DNA testing company in doghouse after identifying human as canine | Dogs | The Guardian

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