Virginia Family Accidentally Brings Home The Wrong Dog From Daycare

If you’ve ever owned a Golden Retriever, you know how friendly they are. These dogs don’t just love their people, they love everyone. 

No matter who you are, a Golden will probably greet you with a wagging tail, a goofy smile, and maybe even a belly-flop right at your feet.

So it’s really not all that shocking that a family in Virginia accidentally brought home the wrong dog from daycare, and didn’t realize it at first. 

The Golden they picked up was more than happy to hop into the car and head home, tail wagging like it was just another great day.

It wasn’t until they got home that the confusion really started… and it was the family’s cats who noticed first.

It had started off like any other normal day. Emmy, the family’s sweet and playful Golden Retriever, was dropped off at her regular doggy daycare, a place she loved. 

She spent her day playing with other pups, wagging her tail at staff, and soaking up all the attention.

That day, the family had also booked her a grooming session at the daycare’s in-house salon. After a good play session and a fresh haircut, she was all ready to go.

When the family’s son came to pick her up later that afternoon, the staff handed him a clean, brushed, freshly-groomed Golden Retriever. She looked a bit different, but hey, that’s what a new haircut will do, right? He didn’t think much of it.

She jumped into the car like she’d done it a thousand times, nuzzled up to him affectionately, and didn’t make a fuss at all.

But once they got home, things started to feel… off. And as I said, the first to raise the alarm weren’t them. It was the cats.

Now, cats are usually known for being a little standoffish, especially around dogs, but these particular cats loved Emmy. They were her little sidekicks, often snuggling up to her and even giving her kitty kisses.

But when this “Emmy” walked through the door, the cats bristled. They hissed. They backed away like a stranger had just broken in.

The family thought it’s because of the new haircut, or maybe a weird shampoo scent from the groomer. But then more odd things started happening.

The dog was a little too affectionate, licking faces, which Emmy never did. She didn’t run to greet the family’s favorite neighbor like she normally would. She even acted confused around familiar areas in the house.

Little by little, the truth started to settle in: this wasn’t their Emmy.

Not wanting to wait and risk anything happening to the real Emmy, the family rushed the dog to the vet to scan for a microchip.

Sure enough, the chip revealed what they feared, this sweet, friendly dog was not their dog. Somewhere out there, their beloved Emmy was still waiting to be picked up.

The family quickly called the daycare and explained what had happened. As it turned out, there was another Golden Retriever there that day, nearly identical in looks, size, and age. 

The mix-up was totally innocent, but it had led to a pretty surreal day for both dogs and both families.

They raced back to the daycare and were finally reunited with the real Emmy, who had been safe the whole time, though probably a little confused as to why her family hadn’t come for her.

Thankfully, both dogs were microchipped, and that’s what made all the difference. Without that little chip, things could’ve gotten a lot more complicated.

It’s a reminder to all pet parents: microchipping really matters.

In the end, no harm was done. Both Golden Retrievers got a little adventure, a few extra snuggles, and a new story to wag about. Emmy is back home where she belongs, probably getting extra belly rubs and cat cuddles just to make up for the confusion.

And as for the other Golden? She got home safe too, maybe a little puzzled about her unexpected field trip, but none the worse for wear.

Accidents like this are rare, but when you’ve got dogs as friendly and lovable as Golden Retrievers, it’s easy to see how it could happen.