Three female dogs were cloned in 2006

They didn’t get much publicity, but three female Afghan Hounds, Bona, Peace and Hope, were cloned this year. The team was led by Lee Byeong-chun, a veterinary professor at Seoul National University in South Korea, according to this story by CBS.

Their first cloned dog, Snuppy, an Afghan male, was named the “most amazing invention of 2005,” by Time Magazine before the scandal broke early this year.

Lee, along with project leader Hwang Woo-suk, was shown to have falsified research in their effort to create human stem cells through cloning. Hwang and Lee and other members of the team are on trial on charges of misappropriating research funds. However the DNA of Snuppy and the three female dogs show that they are true clones.

Hwang chose Afghan hounds because of their striking good looks. However, Afghans also have the reputation of being the dumbest dogs alive.

Before you start dreaming of having your own dog cloned, you might consider this: much of the funding for dog cloning was granted by Genetic Savings & Clone (is that cute?) of Sausalito, California, which has invested more than $19 million in the attempts to clone the first dog.

The company is owned by Arizona entrepreneur, John Sperling. Tissue samples from his beloved pet Missy, a Husky mix who died in 2002 at the age of 15, have been saved for cloning purposes.

Before finally succeeding with the birth of Snuppy, the South Korean group worked for nearly three years, seven days a week, 365 days a year and used 1,095 eggs from 122 dogs. The next procedures were much easier. To produce the female clones 167 reconstructed embryos were transferred into 12 surrogate mothers to produce the three living female puppies.

Because of biology cats have been easier to clone than dogs. “CC” (Carbon Copy), the first successful cat clone, was born in December 2001. The price tag for cloning a pet cat has been set at $50,000. There is some concern with long range health problems in cloned animals.

When you win the lottery, is there a dog or cat in your life, past or present, you would like to have cloned?

Comments

[Ed]

All of them, Id clone every dog I ever had.

[Laura]

Not a one. While I loved all of my pets, I don't believe that cloning will bring back the exact same pet. First of all, it would just be creepy. Secondly, our experiences would be different and therefore the pet would be different. At least, that's my opinion.

[pam]

Sperling owns University of Phoenix, so rest assured, whatever he's spending on his clone, he will recoup. I can't say the same for the rest of us!

Not sure I could bring myself to spend any amount on a cloned pet, when there are so many good dogs in shelters in need of a home.

[Therese]

I'm with Laura - I love my pets dearly but I know it wouldn't be the same. I'll love them the first (and only) time around and make the most of it.

Happy New Year, Jan!

[Coll]

As much as I love my pets I really do not think I would have them cloned. From what I have read, many of the cloned animals do not do well and most die at an early age. I do believe in the benefits of stem cell research but cloning tends to leave me cold.

[Sally]

Definitely not. It is disrespectful to your pet to try to duplicate it. Besides they are never the pet you remember.The clones act different and people will only be disappointed. Many have a lot of health problems.

[Faith]

Actually according to a lady who cloned her champion barrel racer the foal acts exactly like the original. He even reacts with the same mannerism when he's touched in a certain spot as the original.

I would imagine that based on their experiences they would become different (and unique) animals however in the beginning you start out with virtually the same one you cloned.

I'd consider it for my current dog and one of my dogs from the past along with one of my cats that I used to own.

[schnoodlepooh]

Interesting question. Would it be disrespectful? I don't know if I would so much want to clone the original pet as I would prefer to give them their life back. A cloned Baxter would not be the original Baxter and we wouldn't have that history together. I would have to give it a lot of thought. I love my animals and I want them to live forever. Cloning them would not bring them back to life. Would it be comforting or creep me out? I'm not sure...
Anyway, happy new year to you, Jan, and thanks for a great blog. I enjoy it very much & always look forward to interesting posts from you. (ps. I knew an afghan hound many years ago and it WAS the dumbest dog I've ever known. I can totally agree with that.)

[chandira]

Happy New Year! :-)

I'd have 10 of Shara, and they'd all be well worth the price tag!

But then, I go into Petco sometimes to give the stray kitties some lovin', and I'd take them all home too, so who nows. Would I? Well, I don't believe that it would be 'her'. So my next kitty will be a stray. I'd rather pay the Petco fee. :-)

[jillbryant]

I actually think that's very sad and, in a weird way, selfish.

And, I have been devestated over the loss of a pet but, another pet like that one - even if exactly like that one, is not that one brought back to life...and you'll have to lose a similar pet again. I would rather give as many pets as I possibly could as many years of a good life as I could.

I think this comes down to that - just because you can doesn't mean you should.