Long Lost Dog Siblings Reunited After 13 Years Had No Clue They Were Living In The Same Town

It’s not every day that siblings separated for over a decade get a second chance to reunite—but for two dogs named Maddy and Mozart, life had a wonderful surprise in store.

A Sibling Bond Lost

In 2011, Ann MacLean, a science teacher from Freehold, New Jersey, was looking for a dog to bring joy back into her home after losing her beloved Bogey.

While searching, she found a litter of five eight-week-old puppies listed through Paula’s Dog House in Mount Olive, NJ. There were four boys and one girl—some golden, others black.

Source: People

When her family went to meet them, they instantly connected with a sweet male pup and named him Mozart.

During the visit, they also met his sister, Maddy. Ann and her family adored her too.

Two days later, they called the rescue hoping to adopt Maddy as well—but someone else had already spoken for her.

While disappointed, they were happy knowing she’d go to a loving home.

Ann assumed she’d never see Maddy again. But life had other plans.

An Unexpected Match

Curious about Mozart’s breed mix, Ann decided to use Embark, a dog DNA test.

She discovered he was a mix of six breeds, including Labrador, Chow Chow, Golden Retriever, and Boxer.

What she didn’t expect was that the test would do more than reveal his ancestry. It also included a feature that connects dogs to their relatives if others submit their DNA.

In January 2024, after not logging in for over a year, Ann checked her Embark account—and was shocked to see a match listed under “immediate family.”

One profile stood out. It belonged to Maddy.

Her description mentioned she loved running through tall grass and scratching her back in the bushes—things Mozart also loved. That’s when Ann realized this had to be his sister.

Digging a little further, she found that Maddy’s owner, Sheila, had messaged her a year earlier. Ann replied right away, and they began chatting about their dogs.

The similarities were uncanny: both loved snow, avoided the sun, and even shared the same vet in Freehold. Both also had hip arthritis.

And, as it turned out, they lived surprisingly close to each other—despite being adopted over two hours away from where they now called home.

Reunion At Last

Ann and Sheila knew they had to bring the two dogs together. They chose a spacious park where the pups could meet comfortably.

At first, Maddy and Mozart took a moment to get used to each other. But once the recognition set in, it was clear—they remembered.

Since that first meeting, they’ve already had three joyful reunions, with more planned. Their bond grows each time.

Source: People

“Maddy acts differently around Mozart,” Sheila noted. “She’s more relaxed and at ease with him than with any other dog.”

With every playdate, the connection between the two siblings deepens, proving just how strong a bond can remain—even after thirteen years apart.

Now reunited, Maddy and Mozart are catching up on lost time, surrounded by the humans who love them and brought them back together.