10/07/2026
♥ NINE YEARS APART, REUNITED BY CHANCE
THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF PUTTER & SASSEE
Sometimes, life has a way of bringing souls back together when they need each other most. For Putter and Sassee, that reunion happened in the most unexpected place: Physical rehabilitation at Barks and Bliss Veterinary Wellness!
Their story began in 2017. Two puppies were found abandoned at a local lake covered in fleas and full of parasites. They were brought to Temple Animal Shelter, where they would eventually find loving forever homes. Putter was adopted first, and her sister soon followed, joining a different family. For the next nine years, both families occasionally wondered about the other puppy. They knew their dogs had a sister out there somewhere, but neither could have imagined that their paths would cross again.
Life took these girls in different directions, but both would eventually find their way to Barks and Bliss.
🐾Putter’s journey
Putter has been a patient at Barks and Bliss for several years. She has faced numerous challenges, including hip issues, cerebral atrophy, and TPLO surgery that brought her to rehabilitation with Dr. Tackett.
Cerebral atrophy affects the part of the brain responsible for coordinating movement and balance. It can have a genetic component, which makes Putter’s story even more significant.
🐾Sassee’s journey
Sassee has also struggled with hip issues. Following an initial surgery in March 2026 at another clinic, she has been unable to walk independently. Unfortunately, complications from that first procedure have meant multiple additional surgeries to try to correct the problems. Her family brought her to Barks and Bliss to begin rehabilitation with Dr. Tackett, hoping to help her regain mobility and improve her quality of life.
During her rehabilitation, the team began noticing something beyond Sassee’s orthopedic challenges. She was showing some of the same neurological deficits seen in Putter, in a milder context. Then came the discovery that changed everything!
The technicians couldn't stop noticing how much Sassee looked like Putter. Their faces were remarkably similar, and their sweet, gentle personalities seemed so alike, too. Dr. Tackett also noticed that their birthdays were very close, although not identical. Since both girls had been adopted as puppies, their exact birth dates were uncertain.
During a conversation, Putter’s mom shared a memory from the day she adopted her: Putter had a sister, and that sister was blonde. The team immediately thought of Sassee.
When they spoke with Sassee’s parents, they heard an almost identical story. They too had adopted a puppy who had been found abandoned with her sister. The pieces finally came together.
Putter and Sassee are littermate SISTERS!
After nine years apart, these two girls were reunited by chance, brought together by their journeys through rehabilitation.
Two puppies abandoned together. Two families who loved them separately. Two dogs who grew up in different homes but shared so much more than anyone realized—including their faces, their personalities, and possibly even a genetic condition affecting their mobility and coordination.
Now, as they navigate their own physical challenges, they have something neither family could have imagined giving them: the chance to know each other again.
Their reunion is a beautiful reminder that rehabilitation is about so much more than exercises, strength, and learning to walk. It is about improving quality of life, supporting families through difficult journeys, and sometimes discovering connections that have been waiting years to be found.
At Barks and Bliss, we are honored to be part of both girls’ rehabilitation journeys. We are especially grateful that, through the work of Dr. Tackett and our incredible technicians, we were able to help uncover this remarkable family connection.
Sometimes, the road to healing leads us right back to where our story began.
Welcome to your reunion, sweet girls. We hope this is the beginning of many more moments together. ❤️
