Cloning Pets : a Little Too Sci-Fi for Me

1) THE STORY

It's all over the internet and noteworthy of international news. Sadly, CHINA DAILY doesn't seem too impressed by running the story headline "COUPLE SPEND L100,000 cloning dead dog." Dead dog? I would think that Sir Lancelot who belonged to Nina and Egar Otto of Boca Rotan Florida, deserved a tad more respect that that. He was certainly a beloved family "member" for many years, until this yellow lab lost his battle with cancer in 2008. Not just another "dead dog." Did anyone mention that "DOG" spelled backwards is "GOD?" Whatever the case, this story is everywhere from Associated Content to the Daily Woof! By the way, that price is $155,000.00 US dollars.

2) THE EERIE FAMILIARITY

What strikes me as odd is the couple then froze parts of "him" (his DNA) for safekeeping. Who does this? I suppose only people who are trying to clone their deceased pets. Let me say I'm not judging, if that's what makes them happy so be it. Reports indicate they entered a contest, and placed a bid, going through a California Company. They then "won" the chance to clone their dog. I wonder how much the original bid was?

Let me add I am an extreme animal lover. I currently have three dogs and two cats, (left from my original six cat menagerie.) Four died after 18-20 year lifespans, two of whom had insulin for their last 8 years. I did what I could to keep them alive while they were in this life--put the little insulin needles in them an all. I love animals.

Would cloning work for me? HECK NO.

I sit here and look at the best and most loveable dog I've ever known---my little mini Doxie dog "Schnitzel" is on my lap right now. I wonder if something happened to him what I would do. First, I'd be devastated. I do not think freezing any part of him or trying to find a cloner would be first on my priority list.

In the case of the cloned yellow lab dubbed "Sir Lancelot ENCORE" or "LANCEY" in another reference by CNN. Now, it's certain he looks like most other yellow lab puppies (whenever I see them all grouped together on one of those puppy calendars, they all look alike...). His owner says he looks just like the original Sir Lancelot. He has the eerie familiarity of looking the same, but IS HE THE SAME?

3) CAN'T BE THE SAME

How can they possibly be the same? I'm no scientist but I would think that you can't replicate them EXACTLY, can you? NOTHING in this world is truly identical. Is it? Does it have the memories? No. Has it learned the lessons the old Sir Lancelot learned ? No.

Take identical twins. Aren't they in a sense "cloned" but with different personalities? If you look closely, can't you find some differences? I knew a set of twins in high school, unfortunately I really could only tell them apart by the way they acted. One wore glasses, and the other contacts, which helped a lot.

There is obviously some other ingredient in him. Sources state that this "BIOTECH" Korean cloning company reportedly took an egg from an "indigenous Korean dog". What does this mean? That dog was said to resemble a bloodhound. They replaced the inside of the egg with Sir Lancelot's DNA and voila Sir Lancelot Encore aka Lancey was "implanted" into another Korean dog. Born in November, he is now a welcome addition to the Otto family.

4) GRIEVING PROCESS

No matter what we do, we live this life and dying is part of living. When my little Schnitzel passes, I shall accept it and move on. Having a clone of him would be a constant reminder of my little Schnitzel, and it would feel like I was holding onto him forever. Indeed it would NOT be him, a mere clone-look-alike. I can only wonder and worry if cloning gives the owner a false sense of avoiding the grieving process. I would love to clone my grandmother but I know it would NOT be her.

5) BARGAIN CLONING - MY PREDICTION

My prediction is the Ottos will grow to love their new Sir Lancelot REPLICA and find that he's not exactly the same. They might wonder why they spent so much when he has a differnet personality. After all, no way to replicate those memories are there?

I believe they did what made them happy (people have spent money on worse things) and did a good deed for Science in general.

I'm certain this will lead to an all out cloning trend. Hollywood will turn it into the next big fad. More cloning means prices drop. Someday we'll see a headline in our lifetime that says "CLONING MARKET PLUMMETS, FOR ONLY $19.95 WE CAN CLONE YOUR DOG." I can see the Korean economy BOOMING!

Would I consider it then? What if for $19.95 they cloned your dog and threw in a silver plated collar. Well, I can't say I wouldn't be tempted,...... but...... with all the unwanted pets out there, overbreeding, and pets on "death row" at the local shelters, I think not.

Schnitzel tells me that he prefers I open my home and heart to some little furball who needs me and I think I'll do just that.