It was an unfurgettable twist of fate.
A San Francisco family grieving the loss of their beloved dog adopted an “identical” rescue — only to discover the canines came from the same family.
Rufus, a rat-terrier mix, had just passed away when Jillian Reiff came across a picture of a pup on Instagram that looked just like their late dog — with the exact same markings and ears.
Reiff wasn’t sure if she was ready for another dog just yet, but something pulled her to meet the pooch.
Four days later, Reiff and her family went to meet the dog at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue and instantly fell in love.
“He felt like a gift,” Reiff told What’s The Jam. “Seeing his happy face reminded us so much of our beloved boy. It brought peace to a house that had been crying for days.”
The family adopted him on the spot and named him Ziggy. The hound made himself at home right away.
Aside from the “uncanny” resemblance, Reiff noticed that Ziggy had the same habits that Rufus did, such as greeting the kids every morning, pulling a blanket over his head at bedtime and howling like a wolf — which raised her suspicions.
Reiff ordered a DNA test for Ziggy and matched the results to the one she had done for Rufus years prior — and the outcome shocked her.
Ziggy and Rufus were not just the same mix. Ziggy was Rufus’s dad.
“There is no science I can find to explain this, only kismet,” Reiff said.
As it turns out, Rufus was adopted from the San Francisco SPCA nine years prior, while Ziggy recently turned up as a stray and was sent to the Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, located in the same city.
Now, the Reiffs said their home is full of delight, feeling reunited with their beloved late pup in spirit and in the same home — all due to an Instagram post.
“We have cried many times since last Thursday, this time in unadulterated joy,” Reiff shared. “The fact Ziggy is here and with us to spend the rest of his amazing life is because of Muttville.”
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