California company plans to clone dogs

The New York Times reports that a California company is planning a string of online auctions to clone five dogs. The bidding is to start at $100,000.

Scientists consider dogs among the most difficult animals to clone because they have an unusual reproductive biology, more so than humans. But the company behind the auctions, BioArts International, maintains that the technology is ready, and it is calling the dog-cloning project Best Friends Again. (That's BioArts chief executive Lou Hawthorne at left, with dogs cloned from his family pet.) It has scheduled the auctions for June 18. BioArts says it has licensed patents issued in the 1990s after researchers in Scotland cloned Dolly the sheep.

BioArts also arranged a partnership with the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation in South Korea. BioArts says one of the principal scientists there is Hwang Woo Suk, who in 2005 was involved in cloning a male Afghan hound. He and his Korean colleagues named that dog Snuppy, for Seoul National University puppy.

Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[Tanya]

There are millions of abandoned and abused dogs in shelters that need homes. Cloning shiny "brand name" dogs is a despicable waste of time, energy and resources. Get a life.

[HulaGirl]

Disgusting.

Why don't they take that money and put it towards pet neuter/spays and adoptions.

Remember 'Chance", the Texas Longhorn steer cloned by his owner? The cloning resulted in 2nd Chance a steer who grew up to be nothing like his clone and almost killed his doting owner.

Sounds like Stephen King's novel Pet Semetary in the making.

[Julia]

I am so excited about this, I would do this in a heart beat if I could. I have a dog I would love to cloned. I have plenty of his sperm banked, but no tissue to do cloning. I would spend any amount of money to have another dog like my first show dog. He wasn't perfect, but he was my heart dog. I know all the animal rescue types are going to be whining about the shelter dogs, but no shelter dog in the world could ever replace my darling dog. I hope the technology increases to that this is possible to do with different types of DNA, I will spend a lifetime trying to breed another dog like my heart dog. It would be so much cheaper and easier to clone him.

[adeline]

Why are you complaining? At 100,000 its not like these dogs will compete with shelter dogs, hmm should I rescue a mutt and keep my house, or buy one of these? This is for the richest of the rich who can't let go of their pookie. If the rich want to be incredibly wasteful and stupid we can't stop them, if its not designer dogs its diamonds and private jets.

[john]

It's not like your bringing back the same dog that died. It would be like a littermate that is alot younger than that dog. I think adoption is the more ethical choice with the over abundance of animals in shelters. Plus genetic failures are alot higher when done by means of interference. Costs will be alot higher also. People need to cope better with loss instead of trying to live in the past. Next thing you know they will be stuffing Grandma and Grandpa and posing them in the recliner and in the kitchen.

[Graham]

My dog was found living underneath a stairwell. He's not a designer dog but is full of personality and life. A dog like him should be cloned. Frankly, I don't care how life comes to happen, it's a miracle that we can recreate it.
Would anyone be willing to loan me 100k?

[Eh?]

HulaGirl, Cuz you know, everyone wants a pet Longhorn steer.

Tanya, who are you to tell people how to spend their hard earned money? Blame the abusive owners. Blame the irresponsible people who bring in unwanted dogs into this world.

[Teri]

Get your next dog at the local shelter!!!!

[Jon R.]

Just another symptom of the disease that will bring our society crashing down around us in fire. And another reason why that isn't such a bad thing.

[Mark]

What a waste of resources. In some parts of the world dogs are known by a much more useful name: food.

[hawaiiguy]

I've had my shepard/rottweiler for 15years, if it could actually be cloned, personality included I would consider it, and I would clone myself to boot. They say u only live once, but I would love to see the ability to do it "once" again.

[louie]

Have dogs begun practicing abstinence? Theater of the absurd.

[Huh]

I love my dog and if she could be cloned to be just like she is, I would do it. But there was so much experience that went into making her my dog. Her early life abuse, her botched hip surgery, being thrown out like so much trash by her first owners, me finding her and loving her. A clone would never be the exact same dog, and though I would love it, why spend $100,000 and not get exactly what I wanted? I rather go to the shelter and give a different dog a life and get something that I wasn't expecting, but was exactly what I wanted, even if I didn't know it.

[sonia]

That is sick and wrong, you can't create an exact soul, it will be a different dog, because its a different soul, and the people are right there are homeless dogs, why do you need to produce a brand new dog? It's wrong, and yes, it does sound like "Pet cemetary" from stephen king.

[Delores Wright]

This is cruel. In today's times when people are literally turing the dogs to animal shelters because they cannot feed them. Why must we do this one? If you want a dog heavens go to the animal shelter and look into their eyes and choose one. Or better yet contribute to them to keeping the animals in there alive and well. I think our priorities are screwed!

[Connie]

I know in my heart that it is wrong, but I'm glad I don't have 100K, the temptation would be soooo great. I could NEVER have my best friend Jill back, but she was my SOULMATE, and I have had many, many, dogs, as well as many other animals, domestic and exotic, but for 13 years, Jill was the light of my life. Next to my children and granny, she was the most important thing in my life, and after 10 years and many other animals (I love them ALL, snakes, spiders, ALL OF THEM) I STILL MISS HER EVERY SINGLE DAY. Sometimes, just to have one more day with her.........I wonder.....