silentchild Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 One British owner will be offered a genetic replica of their dog for free as part of the UK launch of the service, which usually costs £63,000. But scientists warned that owners hoping to create a "carbon copy" of their favourite pet may be disappointed because, like identical twins, the clone will not be a perfect replica of the first. Although they will share the same genetic code, differing conditions in the womb and the environment they are exposed to after birth will significantly change some characteristics, including aspects of the dog's appearance and behaviour. Experts also warned that cloning animals is extremely unreliable, only successfully resulting in a healthy specimen in one or two of every hundred attempts, and that making the cloning process reliable would be a "major achievement". But South Korean firm Sooam Biotech said it had never failed to produce a clone and would guarantee its work. The technique involves taking a single skin cell from the original animal and replicating its DNA to create a man-made embryo, which is born after two months' gestation. Dog owners who do not want their clone to be created immediately can bank the cells in a laboratory and activate them at a later date. The company says it has cloned at least 400 dogs around the world, including rescue and police dogs for the South Korean government and dozens of pets for wealthy American owners. The competition, and subsequent creation of Britain's first cloned dog, will be filmed and broadcast in a documentary on Channel Four next year. Applications will close on November 25, and owners can apply by emailing [email protected] or visiting www.facebook.com/dogcloninguk, and describing what their dog means to them. Sooam Biotech scientist Insung Hwang said: "We can clone any breed, size or shape of canine and are coming to the UK to offer this process to the owner of one very special dog. We welcome entries from any UK-based dog owner who wants to benefit from this exciting new advance in biotechnology." Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, Head of Developmental Genetics at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research, said cloning in dogs can work but cautioned that it is "not an efficient process" and would not create a replica of the original pet. "Many attempts will die as embryos, at any stage, but some as pups, and of course the female dogs used to carry the cloned embryos will have to bear the consequences of being pregnant and losing embryos and newborns," he said. "While it can give an animal that is genetically identical to the original dog from which cells are taken, it will not be completely identical in its "phenotype": its appearance, anatomy, physiology, and behaviour. "To make matters worse, because the clone is unlikely to match expectations, the owner is bound to treat it differently. The clone will have little chance of behaving the same as fifi, rufus, or fido." Prof Tom Kirkwood, Dean for Ageing at Newcastle University, added: "This development really troubles me, from both a scientific and human standpoint. Scientifically, we know that although cloning can work it just isn't possible to create an identical organism. "Not only is an animal shaped by factors other than its genetics, but also there are small random elements that will affect how individuals develop, which cloning technologies simply cannot overcome. "As a dog owner myself, I can well understand the strength of the emotional bond we have with our pet animals. But dogs have shorter lifespans than humans and an important aspect of our relationship with them is coming to terms with the pain of letting go." Source : http://www.telegraph...in-Britain.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angeluca Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 (edited) not even going there tho curious if this was happening in Australia how many DOLers would apply ? Edited October 24, 2013 by Angeluca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamboo Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I don't want to clone any of my pets. While I think they are fabulous, their individuality is a huge part of my love for them. I look forward to future relationships with other unique individuals, not imperfect repeats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kajirin Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I don't want to clone any of my pets. While I think they are fabulous, their individuality is a huge part of my love for them. I look forward to future relationships with other unique individuals, not imperfect repeats. +1 I couldn't do it either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angeluca Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 (edited) I don't want to clone any of my pets. While I think they are fabulous, their individuality is a huge part of my love for them. I look forward to future relationships with other unique individuals, not imperfect repeats. Nicely said! to add I said Dolers for reasonable and responsible answers, I know a lot of other less dog savvy people would clone their pooch, just like they want to breed them to have another one. Edited October 24, 2013 by Angeluca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 No way would I clone a pet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I strongly disagree with cloning for many reasons. I accept that the dogs I love and adore will leave me, it will break my heart but it frees up a home for another dog in need. I've lost so many in the last 8 yrs as I take older dogs mainly. I think it is highly selfish of people when there are so many dogs in need, to want to keep one dog going in perpetuity ... not only that but cloned animals may have a very uncertain future with health issues, remember Dolly the Sheep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin-Genie Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I think it is highly selfish of people when there are so many dogs in need, to want to keep one dog going in perpetuity ... I don't think getting a cloned animals is any different from getting from the same breeding lines from a breeder in terms of impact on dogs in 'need'...(if cloning ever became an acceptable breeding practice and was done by ethical breeders with full health checks). In both instances, dogs in 'need', ie rescued dogs, don't get a home but I don't buy into the argument that people shouldn't buy from registered/ethical breeders since rescue dogs lose out. I personally would never clone my dogs. They are individuals and I would find it insulting to them to try and get a replica (however perfect or imperfect it might be). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teekay Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 When I lost my gorgeous Lab a number of years ago. I couldn't even face getting another Labrador because it would remind me too much of Holly. No way on Earth I could have cloned her. You can't just replace a dog and pretend that they hadn't died. Creepy. I too, wonder about the life expectancy and health of these clones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentchild Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 When I lost my gorgeous Lab a number of years ago. I couldn't even face getting another Labrador because it would remind me too much of Holly. No way on Earth I could have cloned her. You can't just replace a dog and pretend that they hadn't died. Creepy This reminds me of those people who have their deceased pet stuffed, then install a mechanism inside to make it look like its breathing, and have it in the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I can't stop thinking how many unwanted & unloved dogs could be helped with all that money. Mad idea & some people have more money than sense but its here now so there will be takers. It would creep me out mentally some how having my dead dog cloned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 As much as it would be lovely to have a replica of our favourite dog, the scientists cannot give us that. Genetically identical does not correlate to temperamentally identical. As the article explains, environmental factors play a huge role in the development of certain traits - and as much of what we loved about our departed furfriends is based on those traits (as opposed to the physical "look" alone) - then as far as I see it, it's just a money making venture that plays on our emotional state. If it were possible to completely clone both physical AND temperamental aspects of an animal - I'd probably drop any amount of money to have my heart dog back again... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Even if you cloned your dog, it would not be the same. It wouldn't have had the same life experiences that shaped your dog into what it is. I like the individuality of each of my dogs, and when they are gone will enjoy forming new relationships with different dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeckoTree Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Clone back woolly mammoths instead and stick them all on a woolly mammoth island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkabull Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I would never do it as no matter how much you want it to be, it's not the same dog. However, I do understand the emotion behind why people want to do it. I'd do just about anything to have my heart dog back but I know (from sad experience) that no matter how hard you try you can never have another exactly the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe001 Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I assume it is the same with dogs as horses in that the colour pattern may also be not the same. I have seen pictures of cloned horses and the clones although the same base colour (ie chestnut or black for example) as the original, don't have the same white pattern. The arrangement of white is determined by the conditions in the womb and not genetics. With horses it seems to be they want to bring back the genetics to breed from successful dead studs and not produce a stud like the original. So they don't actually care if its temperament is the same just that its genes can be used to strengthen modern lines. Very different from what it seems pet owners would be looking for. It is creepy for that purpose and I wouldn't consider it in the least. I think each pet is an individual and cannot in any circumstances be replaced or should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angeluca Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 When I lost my gorgeous Lab a number of years ago. I couldn't even face getting another Labrador because it would remind me too much of Holly. No way on Earth I could have cloned her. You can't just replace a dog and pretend that they hadn't died. Creepy This reminds me of those people who have their deceased pet stuffed, then install a mechanism inside to make it look like its breathing, and have it in the house. now thats creepy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotdashdot Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I assume it is the same with dogs as horses in that the colour pattern may also be not the same. I have seen pictures of cloned horses and the clones although the same base colour (ie chestnut or black for example) as the original, don't have the same white pattern. The arrangement of white is determined by the conditions in the womb and not genetics. With horses it seems to be they want to bring back the genetics to breed from successful dead studs and not produce a stud like the original. So they don't actually care if its temperament is the same just that its genes can be used to strengthen modern lines. Very different from what it seems pet owners would be looking for. It is creepy for that purpose and I wouldn't consider it in the least. I think each pet is an individual and cannot in any circumstances be replaced or should be. Yes, if my dog were cloned, her clone would most likely look very different, being a Dalmatian. Even within a normal litter the spotting is totally random, as are patches on dallies. Wouldn't ever clone, when a dog dies you remember the good times you had together and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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