FORUM

Home Page Forums Darwin’s Ark How long is the wait time on this?

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 36 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #6384
    Avatar photo
    jamie wagner
    Participant

    I see other threads where others have been waiting over a year for their DNA results. What exactly is the typical expected wait time on the DNA sequencing? I get that this is for research and is based on grants and I completely support that. But the news segment that alerted me to your research and website, along with the website itself, made it appear that it would not be such a long wait time. I will not pay $99 or $1,999 for faster results- especially because you obviously have enough money to update your website and include more research project. I am just curious of the ETA at this stage in the game. One would think that you would focus on analyzing the samples you have prior to adding more species to the research project.

    #6392
    Avatar photo
    brittney logan
    Keymaster

    Hi Jamie,

    We have made Darwin’s Ark into a non-profit in order to help combat the wait time and grant funding issues. This is strictly research and grants do take time. With thousands of participants we could not sequence them all at once hence the long wait times, so our solution was to make it so that participants have the option if they would like to fund their dogs sample at various levels in order to get the sample out more quickly for sequencing, and therefore receive the results faster.

    This of course is optional, and participants are still more than welcome to participate for free, it just means a difference in wait time. We do plan to sequence all samples that come into us! I have checked your information and in your case since you have answered all of the behavior questions and we have your dogs DNA sample here, if you wish to get the results faster it would only be $99.00 which again is completely up to you.

    I hope this helps, we have made this change in order to make the webpage more informational, user friendly and make things run more smoothly. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help to answer or clarify. We thank you so much for your participation and patience in this canine behavioral genetics research!

    #6408
    Avatar photo
    jennifer haude
    Participant

    We have been waiting for over two years at this point. I would think that might warrant expediting our results.

    #6412
    Avatar photo
    daniel cross
    Participant

    We have been waiting for almost 2 years now.

    #6414
    Avatar photo
    kristen johnson 2
    Participant

    This is a study and not a for profit business. The funds are being donated to help contribute to the study, not for a profit. It really shouldn’t be about getting something in return. It should be about helping the study. I would never spend the money for a DNA kit for my dogs just because I don’t care that much what they are and it would just be for entertainment, but I will feel good about spending it to contribute to a study about dogs and it is an added bonus that I get something out of it!

    #6417
    Avatar photo
    jennifer haude
    Participant

    The whole mantra to try to get people to donate samples was, “if you give us samples, you will find out about your dog and contribute to research.” It’s all well and good to contribute to research, but they were the ones who presented the incentive and certainly it’s fair of us to expect it in a somewhat timely manner. I would say two years is much too long to wait. I’ve asked and asked, and I’m always told I’ll see results within a month or so. My poor kid has been heartbroken because he was super-excited to learn about our dogs.

    #6418
    Avatar photo
    kristen johnson 2
    Participant

    I guess I’m just excited to be getting one at all, because I would never do it otherwise. I figure even if it takes 5 years……it’s something I would never have gotten otherwise. I do love that so many people have mutts! I think too I’m glad there is such a backlog because it means there are sooooo many people/dogs participating and that excites me. I am super fascinated by this and can’t wait to see what they are able to discover from the entire study. I was so intrigued that by the time I finished the surveys I had forgotten I was getting a DNA kit. Lol. I think it’s likely that they may have been overwhelmed by the amount of participation they received. Hopefully that means they will get lots of good information out of it! The limited funding they had just couldn’t keep up. Now that they can take donations that should help.

    #6427
    Avatar photo
    brenda zizza
    Participant

    I agree. I was not given the impression it would take years to get my results back. The offer was to complete the surveys, submit my 2 dogs DNA and get the results for free. Then today after submitting everything last Feb I get an email stating i must wait YEARS for the results or pay $99 per dog. Not cool. Now they are deleting all my post on Facebook for bringing this up and agreeing with other people post about this looking like a bait and switch…which were also deleted….

    #6430
    Avatar photo
    kristen johnson 2
    Participant

    Well I can see how it would look like a bait and switch initially, but I think it’s an attempt to encourage donations. Unfortunately unless they get more money they can’t do anything about processing these kits any faster. I think it’s fair that they give people a “reward” for donating that much, even though this means I’ll be moved down as they move ahead lol. I’m not able to donate that much right now but I gave a small amount cause I figure every little bit helps. If everyone gave a little that would add up to a lot and we could get our results faster. They’re kinda helpless here because they aren’t able to do anything about it without adequate funding. I’m sure they would love to be able to process them all and get all the results as well.

    #6431
    Avatar photo
    heather moorefield
    Participant

    This is a research study. Research takes time and resources. If you want your dog’s DNA results in a timely fashion, there are plenty of for profit companies that will do it quickly for a fee. It astounds me how entitled people are and expect to get something for nothing. This DNA sequencing is NOT a service. I sent my dogs samples in 2 years ago and am still waiting. I will happily keep waiting because I understand the purpose of this study is not for my own gain, but for the gain of knowledge that could help humans and people in the future.

    #6433
    Avatar photo
    brittney logan
    Keymaster

    Hi everyone,

    We greatly appreciate your support.

    By no means is this a bait and switch, we simply gave our participants more options to participate at different levels (Free, Explorer and Trailblazer). We made Darwin’s Ark into a non-profit to combat the issue of wait times and our solution was to give participants the option to fund their dog if they don’t want to wait for our grant money to fund it.

    Please check out our FAQ page to learn more about the details of the participation levels.

    FAQs

    #6436
    Avatar photo
    brenda zizza
    Participant

    Heather moorefeild calling people entitled and getting something for nothing is incorrect and insulting…we did do something, we filled out a lot of surveys and sent in samples and were promised the DNA results for our dogs. Some did it because their dogs were sick, others for fun, some don’t have the money to spend on DNA tests and were very excited to get results, i already had both my dogs tested elsewhere. Darwin’s dogs advertisesd free results to get people to send in samples and fill in surveys and did Not disclose it would take years to get your results or 8 month later it would cost money. As another person pointed out…..why are they taking more samples if they don’t have the money to get them sequenced, just to have them sit on the shelf for years…..that doesn’t help science or dogs. I suggest you reread peoples concerned posts.

    #6441
    Avatar photo
    brittney logan
    Keymaster

    Brenda,

    You can still participate for free, the donation is optional as I have mentioned to you in previous forum posts and personal email. We are doing this purely for science, not business in any means.

    We noticed that people we frustrated with the wait time, so in order to solve it we came up with Darwin’s Ark a non-profit that would give participants the option to fund their dogs samples since, yes grant money takes time (funding their dogs sample will results in guaranteed sequencing ASAP and therefore receive results much faster).

    Science is complicated, expensive and does not happen quickly.

    Again, we apologize for your frustrations, but we are doing our very best.

    #6442
    Avatar photo
    kathleen morrill
    Keymaster

    I’d like to post this important reminder about genetics and health: DNA tests for health-related genes found in particular breeds may not be predictive of health consequences (see this article for more information). Consulting your dog’s veterinarian is the most important step in managing their health, especially if they are currently sick. Most interactions between genetics and health, in both dogs and people, are unknown. Only through research can we determine the predictive power of current tests and discover new DNA associations that affect dogs across all breeds.

    Darwin’s Ark intends to be a platform for that research. We will continue to be open enrollment, as every dog — even those not-yet sequenced — is helping us better understand health and behavior across all dogs. For example, we can determine the frequency of food allergies in dogs, and whether certain environmental factors have influence over traits.

    DNA provides another level of information, and has always been contingent on grant funding. The cost of sequencing is the largest limitation. Donations help speed up this process: samples are sent in batches, so the more spaces in a batch funded and filled, the faster the batch is sent for sequencing. So, when someone who funds their dog through the Explorer level, they expedite not only their dog’s sample, but also other samples (Free and Explorer level participants)!

    #6443
    Avatar photo
    bett sundermeyer
    Participant

    Jamie, Their website says that they received my kit in 10/2017. It is now 8/2018 and I do not have results back. It would be nice to know where my dog is on the list, but I don’t see that information listed. Like you, I was not expecting such a long wait time. I looked at DNA tests on Amazon and the ones with higher ratings run around $83 for a basic DNA test….. higher if you want additional information. So the $99 charged here appears to be just slightly higher. I guess it’s worth it, if it is funding research that will be beneficial in the long run.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 36 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login