Embark Marks Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, Wrapping Donation of 160 DNA Kits To Shelters Nationwide

Working with shelters across the U.S., Embark's donations and support led to an increase in adoptions, volunteer enthusiasm, public interest and social engagement.

BOSTON, April 30, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Embark Veterinary, Inc., a global leader in dog health and genetics, today marked "Adopt a Shelter Pet Day" by wrapping its "Homed for the Holidays" shelter campaign, which resulted in 64% of DNA-tested shelter dogs being adopted across the U.S. Kicking off in November 2023, Embark donated a total of 160 Embark Breed + Health DNA Kits to 16 different shelters across the U.S., with the goal of using genetic screening to increase adoption rates. As a result, all participating shelters reported an increase in adoptions, volunteer enthusiasm, public interest, and social engagement.

"Dog DNA testing is such a powerful tool to help shelter dogs find long-term homes. Not only do breed results help adopters better understand their dog's behavioral, nutritional, and exercise needs, but they also provide crucial information about veterinary care," said Embark Executive Vice President of Research and Development Dr. David Haworth, DVM, PhD. "33% of the dogs tested as part of the Homed for the Holidays campaign were at increased risk for Mast Cell Tumors (MCT) ? a very treatable form of cancer when caught early. Now, adopters are empowered to keep an eye out for lumps and bumps and bring their dog to the vet early if they spot anything unusual."

Animal shelters and rescues across the U.S. are overwhelmed and overflowing. Despite the uptick in adoptions and pet ownership fueled by COVID-19 in 2020, more people are returning to their pre-COVID routines and the cost of pet ownership has increased dramatically. Since 2021, there's been a 22% increase in stray dogs taken in by shelters, according to Shelter Animals Count, which surveys over 5,000 shelters nationally. Many shelters have found themselves in a crisis and forced to turn animals away.

"We know the Embark tests helped these dogs find their forever homes," said Great Dog Rescue New England Co-Director Betsy Herald. "One of our rescue pups, Amber Dixie, had over 300 views with no adoption inquiries. But once we shared her Embark results, she got an application right away and has since been adopted. We have similar stories for other dogs we used the Embark DNA tests on, and we couldn't be happier for our pups finding their forever homes."

The campaign's findings provide a valuable snapshot of DNA results for adoptable dogs in the U.S. today:

• 33% of dogs tested had at least one immediate relative already in Embark's database
• Dogs tested had an average number of four breeds in their ancestry report, and more than 25% had six or more breeds
• The top breed for dogs tested was American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) ? 45% of dogs had American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) as their most predominant breed, but APBT ancestry made up less than half of the breed makeup in three-quarters of those dogs
• The other top breeds were American Bully, Poodle, Rottweiler, and Chihuahua
• 33% of dogs tested were at risk for Mast Cell Tumor (MCT) and 9% of dogs tested were at risk for Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I) (IVDD) ? a back/spine issue that can be prevented with ramps up to furniture and using a harness on walks

"The DNA tests definitely helped get these dogs adopted ? especially Juliet and Leo," said Kim Cary, social media coordinator at Main Line Animal Rescue in Phoenixville, PA. "The adopters were so interested in finding out the breeds. One adopter loved German Shepherds, so it was nice to be able to say that Juliet truly did have that breed in her. Leo's results really helped because he was mostly a Golden Retriever ? despite his short, black fur ? and that certainly pushed adopters toward him!"

For more information about Embark or to order a DNA kit for your shelter dog, please visit https://embarkvet.com/.

About Embark

Embark Veterinary, Inc. was launched in 2015 with a passion for scientific research and a lifelong love for dogs. Starting with its best-in-class canine DNA test, Embark is building a powerful platform for scientific discovery that will accelerate advancements in personalized dog care. Embark offers the most scientifically advanced, most trusted, and highest-rated dog DNA tests on the market that helps dog owners, breeders, and veterinarians learn about their dog's breed, health, and ancestry. Customers gain hundreds of actionable insights that inform more proactive care, and every test fuels new research to help all dogs lead longer, healthier lives. Embark is an official research partner of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, was named to the Inc. 5000 list for the past four years, and was included on Forbes' next billion-dollar startups list.

For more information, visit Embark's website at EmbarkVet.com, and follow Embark on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Media Contact

Emma-Jean Weinstein, Embark, 1 2034342310, [email protected], https://embarkvet.com/

SOURCE Embark