[pmj]

While we were watching basketball a pet pit bull terrier was cloned



McAvoy Layne
Special to the Bonanza
February 22, 2008

Remember when your dog died and you protested to your parents through your tears, "There'll never be another dog like Bobo!" Well, guess what? Now there can be another dog exactly like Bobo. Just pack a piece of Bobo's ear tissue in ice, mail it off to South Korea with a check for $150,000, and BINGO! You've got yourself another Bobo.

That's right, it's finally happened, the first commercial order for a cloned pet dog is being filled in Seoul at this very moment.

According to Agence France-Presse, a California woman placed an order to recreate her pit bull terrier, Booger, and ponied-up the asking price of $150,000.

Can you imagine how cool that would be? Every 15 years you could bring back Booger! You could keep on bringing back Booger until your money ran out, or until you ran out of time yourself.

Imagine being 90 years old, and owning the same dog that you've had since you were nine. Though this Booger is not taking naps like you do, no, he's tearing around the house like a six month old puppy, which he is, and jumping into your lap every five minutes with a new toy to chew!

Booger is being cloned by scientists at Seoul National University, where "Snuppy," the first cloned dog was born. I don't know if "born" is the operative word, but you know what I mean.

Koreans must think it odd that anybody would spend that much money to bring back a dog, as they don't hold dogs in very high esteem in Korea. I hear tell they eat dogs in Korea, and a reliable friend told me he saw a Korean cook book entitled, "50 Ways to Wok Your Dog." He claims he was stationed in South Korea and there are thousands of restaurants there that serve dog. What?! How could anybody eat man's best friend?

Heck, in this country we fluff dogs up with hair dryers, trot them around Madison Square Garden at the 132nd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and treat the best of show like the Queen of England. This year a beagle named "Uno" topped 2,500 other mutts, then strutted off the stage like he would not let the governor of New York be familiar with him.

One must suspect that the owners of Uno might be very much interested in the makeover of Booger in Seoul.

My feeling on the subject is, you can recreate the corporeal dog, sure, but that cloned dog is not going to walk up to you and lick your face like he's been missing you just like you've been missing him. He's going to look up at you and say, "Who the hell are you?"

So until they figure a way to clone the soul of a dog, I don't think I'm going to buy much stock in that company. You can have your cloned dog that looks just like the old one. Me, I'll take a totally new dog from the Pet Network and take my chances on his being just as good a pet as the old one, maybe better. Oh, and that $149,990 in change will go a long way toward covering the vet bills, dog food and chew toys for my new Pet Network dog.

McAvoy Layne lives in Incline Village and visits schools as the ghost of Mark Twain.


http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/...nion/983055541

[panda]

I figured this would happen sooner or later. I think it's sad.

[Galadriel]

Cloning freaks me out.
bad bad bad bad idea.

[Lucys Mom]

Cloning is such a bad idea. A Sheep, A Dog... But, Its scary to think that someday with a little DNA they can clone people. People like Hitler, Stallin, Hussain, etc. I know some sick Shithead has thought of it.

[Mary Elms]

As much as we love our beloved pets,when that awful day arrives to say our last goodbyes,then that is it......we say that last goodbye and sadly lay them to rest.
They will forever remain in our hearts and our memories and the grief affects all pet owners in so many ways....for some,life simply isn' the same again.
It is often asked,when is the right time,to get another pet following the loss of the last one and is it a replacement (as such)???.
One should only get another pet (if they so desire),when they feel ready and I myself,never consider such new pets,as replacements for the deceased....I look at it as another chance to give another animal,a great life and to create new friendships,a new bond and a later on..a new memory.
All animals (like us),have their own individual characters,traits and idiosyncrasies...it
is that that make's them so unique and so special and one has to ask....does cloning also bring back the personality and uniqueness??? - or is just cosmetic appearance?.
Like many people,I believe that cloning is unethical and what is even more frightening,is that the Scientists only let us hear and read about such experiments and schemes that they want us to to know about.......who know's what else is going on behind closed laboratory doors and in Government buildings.....'Chimera's' eerily spring to mind!!!.