Cloning

We are able to do it, but does that mean we should do it? Should pet owners be able to clone their recent loses? Should we be allowed to bring back the dead?

An article from National Geographic, talks about Barbra Streisand and the cloning of her dog Samantha, who died at 14. A company called ViaGen helped Barbra clone her dog by taking cells from Samantha’s mouth and stomach. These cells were used to make two dog clones, whose names are Miss Scarlett and Miss Violet.

As well, the article talks about how clones are made, taking cells and having a surrogate mother to harvest the clones. These clones may look very similar to the original but the debate is that they won’t resemble the personality. On the other hand, dog clones are just as healthy as normal puppies.

With cloning pets on the rise, many concerns are that dogs in shelters won’t be adopted and owners will resort to cloning. As well, the Humane Society of the United States believes that cloning pets is unnecessary and doesn’t represent a true pet. Others believe that cloning dead animals will cause people to lose their mind. As hard as it is, death is part of life and we can’t avoid it. Cloning your dead pet is just covering up the fact that the animal is dead.

Today, Barbra has three puppies at home, Miss Fanny, Miss Violet and Miss Scarlett. Despite the fact that cloning is unnatural and a bit bizarre, she believes that, "Each puppy is unique and has her own personality. You can clone the look of a dog, but you can’t clone the soul. Still, every time I look at their faces, I think of my Samantha...and smile."

To read more about Barbra and cloning, click here