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Though it sounds like the premise of a science fiction movie, dog cloning is a completely real thing that happens more often than you probably think. For example, did you know that two of Barbra Streisand’s dogs are clones of one of her dogs that passed away in 2017?1 But just because we can clone a dog, does that mean we should?
Read on to learn more about the costs, science, and ethics behind dog cloning.
What Is Cloning?
A clone is a man-made genetic copy of a living creature. A cloned dog isn’t the same animal, but it does have the same genes. Think of clones as identical twins—they have the same genes, but they’re two completely different people. A clone of your dog would share many of the same attributes, like intelligence, temperament, and appearance, but it isn’t the same as keeping a dying dog alive.
Cloning keeps the genetics alive, but a clone of Fido will not be Fido.
How Does Dog Cloning Work?
Cloning a dog may be easier than you think. The first step involves genetic preservation, where your veterinarian will collect a sample of your dog’s DNA via their tissues. This sample must be taken from dogs while they’re still alive or within five days of dying. This sample is then preserved for future use if you decide to go ahead with cloning. Scientists will then take the cells of the dog to be cloned and fuse them in another dog’s egg. During the process, the nucleus is taken out of the donor eggs and injected with the DNA from the dog to be cloned, so 100% of your dog’s genetics are in the egg. The egg will become an embryo, which will then be transplanted to a surrogate dog.
How Much Does It Cost to Clone a Dog?
A handful of companies currently offer cloning services. Viagen, a United States-based option, currently charges around $50,000 before taxes to clone a dog. NotYouButYou.com operates with Sooam Biotech, a Korean-based company, and offers its services for about twice that price.
Is Dog Cloning Ethical?
The ethics of dog cloning is a hotly debated topic. Let’s take a closer look at some of the ethical concerns with cloning our pets.
Problems With Surrogates
Some raise concerns about the surrogate dogs expected to carry the clones. Like other breeding stock, these dogs are used for the purpose of producing puppies. Their welfare has the potential to be good or bad, depending on the practices that happen behind closed doors.
Questions around the surrogate’s level of care and how many litters they have should be asked before agreeing to clone a dog. However, Sooam Biotech have made a few reassuring claims:
- No chemicals are used for the induction of estrus
- Animals are used only once for a cloning event
- Animals are well cared for
- They aim to decrease animal use, stress and suffering
Cloning Doesn’t Make an Exact Replica
Well-intentioned pet owners may consider cloning their beloved pups for many reasons, including the strong bond they’ve formed with them, their fantastic personalities, or their gorgeous appearance. However, many people don’t realize that cloning your dog doesn’t make an exact replica of them.
As mentioned above, cloning can create a genetically identical animal, but the dog may come out looking and acting much different than you expected. For example, markings and eye colors can be completely different, not to mention there may be inconsistent personality traits. These are due to the influences of chance and the environment on an animal’s traits. In a review of 1000 cloned dogs, Sooam Biotech even notes cases of sex reversal in German Shepherd dogs where embryos that were genetically male resulting in puppies with outwardly female appearances.
A clone can only perfectly replicate a dog’s genome. It will not be the same dog that you knew and loved because they won’t have the same experiences, nor will they have a life lived in your company under their furry little belt.
Many Dogs Are Waiting for Their Forever Homes
Another ethical concern in creating clones of dogs is that there are millions of dogs waiting in animal shelters for their forever homes. According to the ASPCA, approximately 3.1 million dogs enter U.S. animal shelters annually, and nearly 400,000 of them are euthanized. Cloning adds to the homeless dog population by keeping wonderful, adoptable dogs in shelters.
Conclusion
Cloning is not just a plot for a science fiction movie; it’s a real thing that happens more often than most people realize. However, it’s a process saved for those with a lot of extra income, as cloning your own pet will cost you anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000. Additionally, the ethics around cloning are extremely fuzzy. Most people believe that when they clone their pet, they’ll receive an exact replica in return, but this is not the case. Every puppy produced by cloning is unique in both appearance and personality.
Barbra Streisand said it best: “You can clone the look of a dog, but you can’t clone the soul.”
Featured Image Credit: Svetlana Valoueva, Shutterstock
