How to take a good DNA sample of your animal at home | GenePaws

Follow the instructions supplied with your kit

A DNA analysis can only use the material submitted. Careful sampling, correct identification and suitable packaging matter more than rushing.

The instructions for the specific kit take priority over general advice. Different kits can have different handling and return requirements. If anything is unclear, stop and ask for clarification rather than adding your own steps.

Prepare one animal and one kit at a time

Read the instructions before opening the kit. Check which animal the sample belongs to, where the sample code is recorded, which parts are used and where the sample must be returned.

Choose a calm situation with enough time. For several animals, finish identifying, sampling and packing one kit before starting the next. Take a sample only from an animal you own or are authorised to test. These kits are not for human samples.

Keep the sample and identity together

For a kit designed for a cheek swab, use the supplied material on the inside of the cheek as instructed. Do not substitute equipment or change the procedure yourself.

Before sealing the return package, check:

• The sample belongs to the correct animal.
• The sample code is recorded as instructed.
• Packaging and any storage requirements have been followed.
• Required information is included.
• The return address and procedure match the kit instructions.

An order, a kit, a sample and a test result are separate parts of the process. Placing an order does not mean a sample has been registered or received.

If something goes wrong

Stop if the sample may be contaminated, the label is unclear or its identity is uncertain. Do not guess. An unusable sample is a sample-quality issue, not a genetic health finding.

Read future results within their stated limits: a detected variant is not automatically a diagnosis. Learn more about genetic health, breed ancestry and kit availability.