Two Labrador puppies melt hearts around the world after discovering their biggest secret: separated at birth

Stella and Roxie met at a dog daycare in Victoria, Australia, when they were just five months old. From day one, they played as if they had known each other their entire lives. But what seemed like a simple friendship between two puppies soon turned into something much bigger. This is a true story that has touched thousands of people on social media.

They both had identical temperaments, were the same size and color, and wore very similar collars. But what surprised their owners the most was discovering that they also shared the same birthday. That coincidence caught the curiosity of Stella’s caretakers, who decided to contact the breeder where she had been adopted. The answer came quickly: Stella and Roxie were sisters, born in the same litter and adopted by different families.

They knew they were sisters the moment they saw each other

Naturally, the story quickly went viral. Stella’s owner shared it on Reddit with a photo of the two puppies hugging, while Roxie’s caretaker posted the news on Instagram: “Tail wagging. Nose alert. Matching collars. What are the chances they’d reunite like this?” Social media soon flooded with thousands of messages filled with affection.

What’s even more fascinating is that science backs up these kinds of reunions. According to a study by researcher Peter G. Hepper from Queen’s University Belfast, puppies can recognize their siblings and mother by scent, even after several months apart — as long as they lived together for at least eight weeks, as was the case here.

For dogs, smell functions as emotional memory. That’s how Britt Rosendahl, a specialist at Woodgreen Pets Charity, explains it: dogs recognize each other more by scent than by sight. So when Stella and Roxie saw each other again, something inside them probably knew exactly who the other was.

Since discovering they were sisters, their owners have decided to keep them together. “We’re going to make sure they keep seeing each other even if we stop taking them to daycare,” Stella’s owner said. Since then, they haven’t just enjoyed running and sleeping together. They also know they’re family, and that makes their bond even more special.

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