If your dog’s about to die, why not clone it?
To clone a dog, Hwang’s team takes a small sample of tissue from the dog, while it is still living, or within five days of its death – and freezes the cells. Another dog – the breed is immaterial – is selected to supply an egg. In a process called enucleation, the team replace the DNA in the egg with that from the stored sample. This cloned embryo is then transferred into a separate surrogate dog, which will give birth to the puppy and suckle it for around a month.
“Surrogate mothers don’t have to be the same breed,” explains Hwang. “A great dane could, in theory, be the surrogate for a chihuahua puppy. But we tend to use similar-sized breeds. Normally, only one puppy is born, but sometimes we get a litter of three to four puppies. Usually, the client will take all the puppies if this occurs.”
But cloning is far from an exact science, as Hwang admits: “Things can go wrong. In 2005, when Snuppy, our first cloned dog, was born, we had a 2% pregnancy rate. Now it is about 30%. Some traits go wrong. Dogs can be born unhealthy. For example, they can be born with thickened necks or tongues, and experience breathing difficulties. But we guarantee a healthy puppy for our clients, so we will try again. Often the client will take both puppies in this situation. We never put a dog down.”
Blowback
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There are better things to do with 50,000 dollars.
RickB on March 11, 2013 at 10:41 PM
Or eat it. – Obama
lorien1973 on March 11, 2013 at 10:43 PM
As much as I’ve loved my pets over the years (cat person, can’t stand dogs) I’d never clone one of them. For one reason, I know cats well enough to know that they are snowflakes, no two are ever alike. They’ve all been different and I like it that way.
Besides, I’ll meet them again in heaven, since I was kind to them all.
wildcat72 on March 11, 2013 at 10:46 PM
You could adopt a similar pooch for under a hundred bucks from a shelter or rescue service and put the other $49,900 toward helping other critters in need.
Maybe even human ones.
profitsbeard on March 11, 2013 at 10:48 PM
Oh – I was wrong. As a society – we’re doing just fine. I cheer for the future – not weep!
CycloneCDB on March 11, 2013 at 10:54 PM
Maybe I don’t want another dog. Anyone interested in cloning a pet because of emotional attachments or a particular personality trait the pet had, has serious psychological issues. All living things die and we are not God. Cloning will not bring booboo back, just something like it, but not exactly it.
Logus on March 11, 2013 at 10:56 PM
Exactly.
Every cat I’ve ever had has been an “ordinary” mixed breed “domestic shorthair” that otherwise would have gone homeless and unloved. They all lived good lives. I only recently got some again (a pair of brothers) after the female I had from 1995-2007 was killed by a car. I still miss that cat. And I’ll NEVER allow one to roam outdoors again, unless I do get a farm or live somewhere truly rural.
wildcat72 on March 11, 2013 at 11:01 PM
Because I hate it? My dachshund is a literal couch potato, she just sits there, expecting to be treated like a queen. My rottie mutt, on the other hand, is too much to handle. As fun as she is, I wouldn’t want her around forever.
nobar on March 11, 2013 at 11:02 PM
I will follow our Obammessiah. He would eat it. So, break out the wok!
Warner Todd Huston on March 11, 2013 at 11:03 PM
I’d rather give another helpless animal a chance at life.
joekenha on March 11, 2013 at 11:04 PM
Exactly. So many dogs and cats are abandoned and need good homes. And they will truly love you for it.
wildcat72 on March 11, 2013 at 11:17 PM
Only liberals love animals. They told me so.
CW on March 11, 2013 at 11:18 PM
I’ve never been so egotistical as to name a cat after myself (IE: BO the dog).
Favorite cat I ever had was my aforementioned female cat, a gray and yellow mixed tortishell. She was beautiful. I named her Polgara, after my favorite character from David Eddings “Belgariad”.
wildcat72 on March 11, 2013 at 11:22 PM
Yeah, well my Joey Porter ain’t much better. Here’s what a whore he is. When we are all watching TV he gets on whoever is lying on the couch—sitting on the easy chair is too difficult.
arnold ziffel on March 11, 2013 at 11:24 PM
Because it still wouldn’t be the same dog.
Caiwyn on March 11, 2013 at 11:26 PM
I’d rather get a rescue dog.
Blake on March 11, 2013 at 11:27 PM
A cloned dog doesn’t even mean the dog will look or act the same as the original. There are factors in the womb, and random factore separate from genes that determine many of theses traits.
Read an article about a genetic scientist who cloned her cat, and the clone looked little or acted like the original.
Pablo Honey on March 12, 2013 at 12:26 AM
As much as I love my dogbeast, eventually I might want to try another breed.
Jeddite on March 12, 2013 at 12:27 AM
Because I’m not so self-absorbed as to believe that if I don’t have a doggy just like the one about to snuff it, my life won’t be the same.
Sad part is, I’m confident there are plenty of people with the money and faults of personality where this is right up their alley.
Sgt Steve on March 12, 2013 at 12:58 AM
Funny how people are reminded of Chairman Zero when faced with an immoral act such as this.
Feedie on March 12, 2013 at 1:44 AM
I let my cat out for a couple hours, there’s something to be said for letting them have a little fun too. But what makes you think rural areas are safer? I guess car hits are less likely, but there are more predators. And sometimes rambunctious dogs.
Fenris on March 12, 2013 at 2:41 AM
You can make a photocopy of your dog for about ten cents but the photocopy still won’t be your dog. Same for cloning. Much the same as claiming your neighbors door locks are the same if they’re the same brand.
It’s the individuality which is key not the mechanism.
viking01 on March 12, 2013 at 2:54 AM
Seriously – did none of these people ever read Pet Sematary?
My family tends toward rescue mutts. We loved the previous ones for 16 years, and now we have two more – one from the pound, one from a box of puppies left on the side of the road. I’ve never really understood the demand for designer dogs.
Quisp on March 12, 2013 at 8:44 AM
You mean there really is a RePet?!? Sixth Day laws, now!
GWB on March 12, 2013 at 9:48 AM
See Errol Morris’ “Tabloid.”
CrustyB on March 12, 2013 at 10:18 AM