Want to Clone Your Dog? Then Bid on This Auction...
Is Fido on his last legs? Well, he may have a second chance, in a manner of speaking, as long as you're sure to collect a DNA sample.
BioArts International, a San Francisco-based firm, has announced it will auction off five slots for people who want clones produced of their dogs – plus one more slot for a lucky contest winner. Despite the lessons we all learned from Stephen King's 'Pet Sematery' (in which those animals who are resurrected come back evil), BioArts claims its dog clones will not only match their donor subjects in appearance, but also in personality.
We'll admit, we're simultaneously intrigued and creeped out (especially by all the weird "clone" images of old dogs and young dogs together on the BioArts site).
The "Best Friends Again" auction will commence July 5, with five separate bidding rounds running in succession. Winning bids will have 30 days to successfully collect and supply DNA from their dogs so BioArts can get to work. Now, before you get too excited, know this: Bids start at $100,000, so you'll need deep pockets to participate in the auction.
Also, no cats, you cat-people out there.
The BioArts project got its start back in 1998 after the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep was announced to the world the year before. An organization called Genetic Savings & Clone was established to collect the DNA of a dog named Missy, who was both beloved by her family and apparently advanced in age. The so-called Missyplicity project wasn't able to clone the dog before her death, but one of the participants, a South Korean scientist, eventually did clone a dog named Snuppy in 2006. One year later, clones of Missy were created and apparently they look and behave much as the original dog did, even down to the canine's odd preference for broccoli.
So, if you could clone your dog, would you? [Source: BestFriendsAgain.com, via KGO-San Francisco]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
wako @ Jun 19th 2008 5:27PM
If anyone ever really loved their pets, they would never clone them. Many of the clones that were cloned died VERY early than the original. Many of them also developed very rare diseases too. This is often said to be linked to the fact that the telomeres of the DNA.
So if you really want your pet cloned, be prepared to have to deal with its death again in a short while.
Gregg Veneklasen DVM @ Jun 20th 2008 4:31PM
Where did you read this malarky.No clones have died from premature aging.Telomeres become fetal in orgin. FYI there are 13 living Dollys all cloned at the same time.Really is sad when people say things that they know nothing about. If your opinion is based on facts good but if its only an opinion please state it. There are many people out there that want to know about cloning.
Angel @ Jun 20th 2008 2:40AM
yes, because there aren't enough domesticated animals to go around. do the memory of your pet proud people & visit a shelter.
Suzi @ Jun 20th 2008 9:16AM
What do you mean there aren't enough domesticated animals to go around. Have you ever heard of an animal shelter? Thousands and thousands of dogs and cats are put to sleep each year because they can't find homes. Wake up and go adopt a pet.
Susan @ Jun 20th 2008 11:57AM
I guess Suzi doesn't get sarcasm!
Love @ Jun 20th 2008 12:25PM
If you could not tell Angel was being sarcastic.
bill @ Jun 20th 2008 8:20AM
Re-pet anyone?
Crystal @ Jun 20th 2008 8:36AM
No I don't think we should be cloning anything! That is NOT up to us. We have no right doing things like this.
cman @ Jun 20th 2008 2:09PM
Oh come on. No right? Just another religious nut who lets the bible control their life!
Monica @ Jun 20th 2008 8:36AM
Hell No I would not clone my dog! I have a pit bull/mastive and I have had him sence he was 4 weeks,I have trainded him and he is a very good dog,He is a part of the family like one of the kids,,the heart break that we would go threw when he passes will kills us! Why would I go threw the pain again! A cloned dog is not the same as your pet I am sorry but there not they may look like him and act like him,,maybe! But you know in your heart you just lost your family pet..there is no way its the same. If you really love your pet your family member you would remember him or her by memery not a clone! What the hell Is the world comming to,,,
Bruce Leeroy @ Jun 20th 2008 8:53AM
With as many unwanted, abused, and neglected "pets" as there are in every animal shelter across the country, people feel the need to have a "special" pet cloned?
Please, instead of creating another stomach to fill, check out the choice of wonderful pets at your local animal shelter 1st.
Save a life, adopt a pet.
Animals can't speak, we ARE their voice.
Please visit aspca.org.
w @ Jun 20th 2008 8:55AM
Angel, that's exactly what I was going to say. There are sooooo many animals that are killed in shelters every day. The feral population is out of control. And people would rather clone an animal and create more problems, than adopt a pet that already exists.
Susan @ Jun 20th 2008 9:04AM
Talk about a waste of over 100K!!! Instead of paying that ridiculus amount to clone their dog, they should donate that money to a good cause,the ASPCA would be a great choice to honor their beloved pet, and then they can adopt a dog that needs a good home and not "create" one. It makes me sick when wealthy people waste so much money on stupid stuff!!
Carolyn @ Jun 20th 2008 9:08AM
Here's my biggest beef. Yes, maybe they can clone the body. But the soul/spirit? I think not. This is just wrong in my book. Like everyone else has said, visit a shelter. I was out at the shelter last week and have never seen such a large amount of puppies for adoption. If you have that much $ to bid, wouldn't your loving companion at it's deepest level appreciate that you took that money and rescued some dogs and perhaps made a large donation to a shelter.
Carolyn
pearlene finch @ Jun 20th 2008 9:15AM
we are always hearing that you should have your pet spayed or nuetered, to control the pet population. why in the world should any one be cloning pets? this is the dumbest thing i have ever heard in my life. stupid people.
kiersten woods @ Jun 20th 2008 9:22AM
clone clone clone----i love it!! leona Helmsley left her dog in a will---i hope she made provisions to have the dog's entire family cloned---so that it could live on---in happiness in a manipulated "paperdog world" --how wonderful !! maybe the concentrated energy connects to its original bioenergy and they recognize each other including memory! Iets start cloning immediately!! we can make cloned War dogs to go become barking torso's in IraQ---i love this cloning idea~~
Carol @ Jun 20th 2008 9:26AM
I'd rather clone myself so that WE could do all of my work!
Shelter mom @ Jun 20th 2008 9:29AM
I adopted my "shelter" dog when she was 4 months old. She was a part of the family for 15 years and still holds a place in my heart. The dog I have now also came from the Humane Society. She is not "just like" my first dog but she is still part of the family and I wouldn't sell her for a million dollars. There are too many wonderful dogs in shelters waiting to be adopted and because of the greed and selfishness of people, many more will end up there, or somewhere even worse. I find it absurd for someone to think about having their dog cloned.
swampbunnyfl @ Jun 20th 2008 9:32AM
Suz, I think that's what Angel was saying. It's hard to hear the inflection of sarcasm in writing, I know, but she does say "Do the memory of your pet proud people & visit a shelter." So all is well & right. :-)
B. Bellavia @ Jun 20th 2008 9:39AM
This is sick. There are plenty of beautiful healthy dogs, cats, horses in need of good homes. The last thing this world needs is more animals that more than likely find their way into the shelters only to be euthanized! Stop screwing around with mother nature!