Couple Clones Dog For $155,000

Couple Clones Dog For $155,000

www.examiner.com

So much for the slumping economy.  One couple in Florida has dropped $155,000 to have their family pet cloned.

However, this plan was long in the making, as the couple started thinking about cloning the Labrador retriever Sir Lancelot over half a decade ago and before the start of the current recession.  So when he died of cancer last year, Edgar (son of the late Edwin Otto who was involved with founding NASCAR) and Nina Otto made a decision.  "I said 'Well, you know, it wouldn't hurt to have his DNA frozen,' and that's what we did," Nina Otto told CNN affiliate WPBF. [CNN]

The cloning was done by a biotech company called BioArts International.  They held an auction in which the Ottos won the right to create the first-ever commercially available clone.  Lancelot's DNA was sent to a company in South Korea, where it was placed into an egg.  Just last week, the Ottos were presented with Lancey, the perfect clone of Sir. Lancelot.

[edit on 1-2-2009 by Sestias]

[edit on 1-2-2009 by Sestias]

Call me old fashioned. but even if I had $155,000 I don't think I would want to have a beloved pet cloned. It would look the same, but still wouldn't be the same, exactly, as the pet one has lost. It might make me miss him more.

I think the Humane Society is right. With so many animals that are abandoned or unwanted, and often euthanized, I think I'd adopt a shelter dog and make one less homeless pet in the world.

Designer dogs are one more example of the extravagance and excess and conspicuous consumption of the world's most privileged people.

www.examiner.com
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I would surely love to have some of my animals back, and a clone would be pretty close (if the environment were roughly the same I would expect the personality to be pretty similar).

I would never do it even if cost nothing. When they clone those animals they make "mistakes" that end up dead. It is not a clean, perfected procedure. The thought of creating dozens of little clones that die is horrid.

Or like in the case of IVF, what if several embryos "take". One woman has like 8 clones of her dog (a pit bull male, not likely to get along with other males) so I can't imagine that she has the personal one/one relationship that she lost. I am guessing she took all of them because they were created and she did not want them given away or destroyed or worse.

*sigh* I get laughed at for wanting to sink 800 bucks into having my cat stuffed and fitted with a nightlight and tail activated "meow" with his voice...

seriously. Been planning for years with pictures and waves of his Meow...even possible poses...his tail is always in the way (Maine Coon and his tail is almost all of his body length)... he'll be the coolest cat on Halloween and as a bonus he won't run when I start the vacuum cleaner...

Anyway, it's been pretty much proven that although the animal is a genetic match for the original, circumstance and current environment will truly dictate how this clone turns out. May not end up even close to the original unless the owners can recreate everything they did with the former pet. Even still, the personality may well end up different just because nature has a way about her.

155 grand is steep though for a mirror image of the old dog. They could have saved money and gotten a life size poster and simply "remembered" the dog and it's wonderful canine-ness.

They'll be disappointed when the "new" dog isn't like the old dog, personality is far more complex than just genes and a little DNA. then again...they might not truly care.

Originally posted by justgeneric
They'll be disappointed when the "new" dog isn't like the old dog, personality is far more complex than just genes and a little DNA. then again...they might not truly care.

Well plenty of studies have been done on identical twins separated at birth, and there are often a lot of striking similarities. Clones would be even more tightly matched.

I do believe a lot of it is genetic. Assuming the clinic that birthed the puppy focused on socialization, and chose a suitable mother dog for imprinting, and surely the family that paid 150k would certainly dote on the animal...I would expect the puppies personality to be quite pleasing.

[edit on 1-2-2009 by Sonya610]

I just put our 14 year old Rednose pit down. Sweetest member of the family. She was still physically stronger than dogs 1/2 her age. She had cancer which we got removed and after the shmuck removed it, tells us it will spread like wildfire because of it. I shoulda removed his cancerous head for that move.

Anyway she would of easily been around for another couple of years if not for the cancer due to her physical specimen.Sucks yeah, but part of reality.\ we have to deal with.If you have cash like that to spare and aren't helping a human who's suffering, then they she be put down.

Originally posted by Revealation
If you have cash like that to spare and aren't helping a human who's suffering, then they she be put down.

So rich people that buy a fancy car, a second home, a nice boat, jewerly for the wife, expensive vacations, or just those folks that have money sitting in the bank and "don't need it". Those people are okay.

But anyone that would spend the money on an ANIMAL deserves to be executed. Yeah you have your priorities straight.


[edit on 2-2-2009 by Sonya610]

Originally posted by Sonya610

Originally posted by Revealation
If you have cash like that to spare and aren't helping a human who's suffering, then they she be put down.

So rich people that buy a fancy car, a second home, a nice boat, jewerly for the wife, expensive vacations, or just those folks that have money sitting in the bank and "don't need it". Those people are okay.

But anyone that would spend the money on an ANIMAL deserves to be executed. Yeah you have your priorities straight.


[edit on 2-2-2009 by Sonya610]

Where in all your ignorance did I ever state "YOUR WORDS which you put in my mouth. Show me on my post so you can prove me wrong otherwise post something which makes sense.

This entire hpocritic world and there ass backward beliefs are immoral, wrong and wasting valuable air that can be used by others.

Rich people are the worst breed of all and biggest self righteous hypocrites. This is why the world is in it's current state.

Next time, don't make up words for me. This is how innocent people get wrongly convicted for crimes they don't committ.

As for priorities, As if you have any knowledge of my life and actions. I like how you know so much about me from a post. You must be a genius.That's my observation from your post and I'm sure it's incorrect.

[edit on 2/2/2009 by Revealation]

[edit on 2/2/2009 by Revealation]

Originally posted by Revealation
If you have cash like that to spare and aren't helping a human who's suffering, then they she be put down.

Put down in this context is an obvious reference to being dead. Or did you mean "put down" as in calling her a jive turkey?

Originally posted by Revealation
This entire hpocritic world and there ass backward beliefs are immoral, wrong and wasting valuable air that can be used by others.

Rich people are the worst breed of all and biggest self righteous hypocrites. This is why the world is in it's current state.

So people should NOT spend their money on anything but essentials, and they should donate whatever they DO NOT NEED to other people. Well see a lot of folks would say "if they earn it, they spend it".

And if they are purchasing from a legitimate company, it doesn't matter whether they buy a $150,000 automobile or pay to lab to create a clone that costs $150,000.

Either way, there are guys that make those automobiles and need a paycheck so they can feed themselves and survive. Likewise there are lab technicians that need a job so they can feed their families.

But I guess that concept is too complicated. I guess no one deserves a paycheck or a job unless maybe they are farmers that feed the masses. Everyone else has no right to work, and no right to sell a darn thing.

[edit on 2-2-2009 by Sonya610]

Originally posted by Sonya610
Put down in this context is an obvious reference to being dead. Or did you mean "put down" as in calling her a jive turkey?

You can take it to mean what you like since everyone likes to make up and put words into someone's mouth regardless of what a person writes. So' I'll let you decide to put whatever meaning fits your agenda. I know what I say and I say what I feel.

The only problem I've been noticing alot of lately is that we all learned words and each one has a specific meaning, correct? So when we want to express ourselves, we say certain words. So when I say something like "I'm thirsty, I would like a drink." I find it amusing how people come up with a different comprehension and understanding of such simple basic words and give a totally different context (and totally different words) than what was said. This is called "READING COMPREHENSION". If yu didn't understand, I can go slower or refer you to a course in reading comprehension. (sarcasm)

Originally posted by Sonya610
So people should NOT spend their money on anything but essentials, and they should donate whatever they DO NOT NEED to other people. Well see a lot of folks would say "if they earn it, they spend it".

C,mon, did I say that or is this you just interpereting my words to mean what you like. Seriously, I don't condemn people for spending money,m but lets be realistic. Do you believe most of society makes donations? Everyone is so far in debt, living beyond their means to compete with the jones' that I find it highly unlikely they donate anything. VEry selfish and vein society most people are brainwashed into.

Originally posted by Sonya610
And if they are purchasing from a legitimate company, it doesn't matter whether they buy a $150,000 automobile or pay to lab to create a clone that costs $150,000.

Technically...NO, but morally I have to say YES.

Originally posted by Sonya610
Either way, there are guys that make those automobiles and need a paycheck so they can feed themselves and survive. Likewise there are lab technicians that need a job so they can feed their families.

Yeah and that's fine unfortunately the people such as YOU (Assuming you're middle class and ever actually broke your but for a days pay), ME and every other hard working person are the ones who keep society even in existence and operating, yet we make nothing to barely survive.

Originally posted by Sonya610
But I guess that concept is too complicated. I guess no one deserves a paycheck or a job unless maybe they are farmers that feed the masses. Everyone else has no right to work, and no right to sell a darn thing.

No, everyone desrves a paycheck or a job. As matter of fact everyone deserves to live hamainly. There are people starving, some 93 year old guy just froze to death in his home because they put a lock on his services. Problem is that a certain set of people shouldn't be allowed to OWN everything and grossly overcharge.

An auto for $150,000 and that's not even very expensive by today's standards. You don't think society charges waaaayyyy tooo much. We pay more but get less. It has nothing to do with anything but greed and corruption. Show me an honest businesman/woman and I'll show you someone who's only been in business for a day.

Point is yes we should be able to enjoy life, things should be cheaper and everyone should get their heads outta their arses. Just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions, right?


[edit on 2/2/2009 by Revealation]