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Return of the clones!
by Remember a few years ago when cloned pets (like Snuppy) were all the rage in the news? Well, then cloner extraordinaire Hwang Woo-Suk was found to have fabricated a lot of data about human cloning experiments, and the whole area hasn't been reported on as much lately.
Well, it hasn't gone away; and, as Sandy notes, pet cloning is back!
BioArts, a California biotech company, founded by ex-CEO of the now defunct Genetic Savings & Clone, is counting on the strength of those human-dog emotional bonds.
How are they doing this? By auctioning off a chance to clone your pet--starting at $100,000. While previous attempts at commercializing pet cloning had failed to be profitable, this time they're offering a health guarantee, and they say that their technology has improved--so their pregnancy and survival rate is comparable to that seen by typical breeders.
Still, it's noted that a clone isn't necessarily an identical replacement for a beloved pet:
"If anyone thinks they're going to get Fluffy back," Dr. Lanza said, "they're gravely mistaken." A cloned dog is "likely to be a totally unknown dog, just as if you went to the pound and adopted another, unknown animal."
As Sandy says, I think I'd just go for the new puppy...
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June 18, 2008 11:41 AM
Liza
Hi my name is Liza, and I am a BioArts employee. In reply to Dr. Lanza's quote, let me give you some more info. Behavioral similarities are difficult to quantify. Genes influence two key components of behavior—intelligence and temperament—which is why golden retrievers tend to behave differently than pit bulls. Of course a clone doesn't inherit the memories and experiences of its genetic donor; it's a unique individual, like an identical twin born later. But if a clone is raised in a similar way as its genetic donor, there will probably be noticeable behavioral similarities.
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