- CBS News confirmed that pet DNA company DNA My Dog cannot distinguish human from canine DNA, even after being called out for the same failure last year.
- Investigators sent human saliva samples to three companies; Wisdom Panel and a veterinary lab correctly rejected them, but DNA My Dog identified the human sample as dog breeds.
- The human sample was reported as 40% Alaskan Malamute, 35% Shar-Pei and 25% Lab, raising serious red flags among veterinarians.
- The findings undermine consumer trust in pet DNA testing for breed identification, health predictions and ancestry results.
- The pet DNA industry, while popular, may still be in its developmental infancy and consumers are warned to be skeptical of overly specific results.
In a stunning follow-up investigation that raises serious questions about the reliability of commercial pet DNA testing, CBS News has confirmed that at least one major company cannot tell the difference between human and canine genetic material, even after being called out for the same failure last year.
The investigation, conducted by the WBZ I-team, sent human saliva samples to three different pet DNA testing companies under the guise of dog submissions. The results have left scientists and veterinarians deeply concerned about the validity of an industry that millions of pet owners rely on for breed identification and health screening.
The story began last year when CBS News sent a human cheek swab to a company called DNA My Dog. The results came back identifying the human sample as part bulldog. When contacted, the company responded by saying the results provided would not be possible on a human sample. That explanation, however, left investigators unconvinced and prompted a more comprehensive follow-up.
This time, an investigative journalist swabbed their own cheek and sent samples to three different pet DNA companies: DNA My Dog, Wisdom Panel and a veterinary lab identified in the report.
The veterinary lab reported that the human cheek sample failed to provide the data necessary to perform the breed ID analysis. Wisdom Panel similarly responded with a message indicating the sample didn't provide enough DNA to produce a reliable result. These responses suggest that proper laboratory protocols should detect human DNA and reject it.
But DNA My Dog, for the second time, produced results linking dog breeds to a human sample. The company reported that the human sample was 40% Alaskan Malamute, 35% Shar-Pei and 25% Lab. When asked about the results, one investigator commented, "I mean, they're cute, right? But seems like someone is barking up the wrong tree here."
Veterinarians consulted by the I-team expressed serious concerns about the findings. According to the report, veterinarians tell the I team, if a lab can't tell the difference between human and canine DNA, that's a red flag.
The inability to distinguish between species at a genetic level undermines the fundamental premise of pet DNA testing. If a company cannot identify whether a sample is human or dog, how can pet owners trust breed breakdowns, health predictions, or ancestry results?
Broader implications for consumer trust
DNA My Dog assigns each sample a unique ID number, which was visible on the submitted sample and linked to an online account where the results appeared. Despite the clear documentation, despite several attempts to reach the company, CBS News got no response from the company, according to the investigation.
The company is based out of an office in Toronto, but has remained silent following the second round of testing. One pet owner, identified as Carlson, ran her dog Cleo's DNA through the same system and received detailed results showing "all these numbers and codes showing her genetic makeup. The biggest percentage pointing to Sherman Shepherd." Carlson noted, "I never would have guessed that."
Carlson's observation reflects a broader concern: "pet owners should know that dog genetics have not fully arrived yet," as stated in the investigation. The findings suggest that the pet DNA industry, which has exploded in popularity over the past decade, may still be in its developmental infancy.
Consumers are spending significant money on tests that purport to reveal breed ancestry, genetic health risks and even behavioral traits, but if a lab cannot pass basic species identification checks, the entire enterprise comes into question.
As noted by BrightU.AI's Enoch, the CBS News investigation serves as a stark warning: when it comes to pet DNA testing, consumers should be skeptical of results that seem too specific or that suggest their beloved canine might actually be part bulldog, when the sample came from a human cheek.
Watch this video discussing the difference between DNA and RNA.
This video is from the Victory in Christ channel on Brighteon.com.
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