Cloning Fido
Good afternoon! I’m sure many of you are at Superbowl parties right now. May the best team win! The ARTICLE for this week is focuses on the subject of cloning one’s pet. Now I have two dogs that are getting pretty old and this sounds like a pretty good idea (if I had an extra $100,000 laying around). However, I’m assuming prices would begin to come down if the idea cathes on. That said what do you think? Is it a good idea for our society to begin cloning our pets? Moreover, should this continue into the realm of human beings? What do you think?
I don’t think we should be allowed to clone our pets. We have a life cycle that we shouldn’t interfere with…organisms are born and they die. There are so many pets out there that need homes. As great as it would be to have your pet forever…you could always breed your pet and keep one of the offsprings. Or going to a Humain Society and adoping a pet that is need of a good home would be great too.
Now, cloning humans….NO WAY!!! I don’t think that we should clone humans. There are so many issues…so many things that could go wrong with that. What if the cloned human turns out mutated from the cloning process, or if they find out they’re cloned (emotional consequences). I just don’t feel like interfereing with our life cycle is a good idea. We were meant to only be on this planet for a certain amount of time and we should just keep it that way!
I heard about this on the news a few days ago. When I saw the amount that it cost the Ottos, I could not believe it. Obviously I would not expect cloning to be cheap, but $155,00??? That’s insane! And it’s not even the same dog, just the same DNA. Also, what if there were complications?? I mean, can you get insurance on dog clones? These were my initial reactions and then I read the quote from the Humane Society. This made me very sad because they brought up very true, realistic points. There are so many pets at shelters that badly need homes and there many that are put down because they can’t find homes. The same can be said about humans. Our population is increasing exponentially. Let’s try and take care of the pets and humans that need our help here now instead of spending tons to replicate DNA.
(During halftime of the Superbowl.) I don’t think that cloning is a good idea. There are plenty of pets without good homes. Just as the article mentions, you are only able to clone the genetics of the subject. In the case of the the Florida couple, they have nine other dogs. I’m sure if they took one aspect of each dog’s personality, that could sum up to equal a personality just like Sir Lancelot’s. If they really wanted to remember him the way he was, they should have written a book, entitled Sir Lancelot and Me. Human beings should not be cloned either. Whether for purposes of body part/organ replacement like in the movie The Island, or to replace a deceased loved one, it should not be done. Death is a part of life. If I had an extra $100,000, I would not harvest a human being.
There are HUGE potentials and HUGE dangers in cloning. It is definitely a slippery slope that could lead to very helpful advances in medical technology but also vastly different interpretation of what is “moral.”
As it stands right now, I would say a lot more testing and research is needed before cloning of domestic animals, let alone people, is done.
My question is: what is the point? What is the application? Why clone?
Has anyone seen the movie “the Island”? In the film, they clone people, and then harvest their organs. The dilemma is that they do not tell the cloned people that they are eventually going to be “harvested.”
I am anti-cloning in the sense that on just wants a replica of their favorite pet when there are so many adorable and homeless animals that need care and a family out there! I believe it’s an amazing thing that it’s possible to clone a living being, but when it comes to cloning human beings I’m still hesitant that it’s the right thing to do. Although, if in fact say stem cell research (which is also a process of cloning) were to help find a cure for cancer or another disease that is plaguing our world I am 100% for it.
One more thing to add…I have a dog with whom I can’t imagine life without, and even while realizing that one day my “baby” will eventually die (I don’t like to think about that…) I still disagree with the idea of cloning. In the article they say that Sir Lancelot had something extra special than the other dogs they have had in the past, and I feel my Lulu is special and no one could replace her, however; I feel with all the poor animals that are in shelters or homeless it is wasteful. Whos to say it will respond/act the same way as your loved one now?
I do not agree with this because of what they said in the article because there is a huge over population of animals. Yes you might have a connection with one certain animal, but you don’t have a connection with the animal like you had with the previous one. There are many pets out there that need a good home. I LOVE dogs and fish, and while fish are easier to replace the dogs are not, i get that. But at the same time if you were to pick up a stray dog, that animal will love you with its whole life because you gave it its life. The same concept goes with humans. Yes everyone wants to live forever, but it can’t happen. You can’t clone people because then the already over popualted world and lack of resources will become greater. It should not be able to happen because you are special for who you are and if you clone yourself, you will no longer be special.
I don’t really have a problem with cloning pets. It may feel kind of odd to many people. If this was based on religion or morality, I’m not as religious as some people and I’m more open to ideas. I would like to have my dog live forever, but even though clones have the same genetic makeup as their predecessors, their minds are different. Clones are only the same person or animal if their previous memories where somehow implanted into them, like in the movies. Cloning humans would be very interesting as well. I wouldn’t have a problem with that because it would give me a certain comfort to see someone. (lets say a friend that has died) But there many possibilities out there with this subject.
Cloning has always been a topic that is hard for me to grasp. The idea of having my dog cloned sounds great but as the article said there are no guarentee you will get an identical “Sir Lancelot”. In my personal opinion if I ever cloned an animal I would always be expecting it to be the same as the last one. I think sometimes it’s better to appreciate the memories of a pet then to try and keep them alive in another.
As far as human beings and pets for that matter, I still have this deep feeling that we should just not mess with Mother Nature. So once again I think the idea seems positive but can human’s ever truely get pasted the past? Can human emotions and feelings ever let the loved one go completely without holding the pet/human to the same expectations of the last one? I don’t know like I said this topic is a tough one for me 🙂
Wow. I did not know that our technology was this far along. I’m horrible at biology and have no idea how accurately this could always turn out. I would think that there would be a lot of complications that could happen. I don’t really like the idea of it very much. No two dogs could be the same. Even if they have the same genes they have different upbringings and are being taught different things. They will have different events that occur to them that cause them to feel/think differently. I cannot see a plus in cloning any animal or person. Especially when it comes to dogs, because as the article states, there are so many dogs out there with no homes and having to be put to sleep constantly. It is so sad and there are many, many advocates out there trying to help these animals. Creating more dogs is unnecessary. Take the ones that are alive that need homes, so that they do not have to be killed. When it comes to humans I actually think that’s kind of creepy. Can you imagine another person walking around the same as you in looks and features, yet different? Ick. It would almost be like trying to replace that person once they are gone. It’s kind of sad.
I’m not exactly sure how I feel about cloning pets. This topic comes at an ironic time for me, seeing as I’m going through the sickness of my cat. I’ve had him since I was 6, so he’s very near and dear to me. However, the idea of cloning him just seems weird. I think the article makes a good point in saying that over-population of pets already exists. What would happen to the population if cloning was readily available? But if someone really wants to pay the money for it, I say live and let live. You won’t see me picketing against it.
As far as human cloning, that’s REALLY weird and creeps me out. Science is a great thing and is a huge part in technological advancement and social evolution, but there is such a thing as taking it too far. I don’t think I would be okay with the whole human cloning thing.
I was really surprised by this article, the last time i heard of mammal cloning being done was way back when with Dolly the sheep. I guess i’ve been out of the loop.
I guess I feel if the dog(s) being cloned truly have no negative side effects from the cloning and people are willing to pay i say live and let live as Birttany pointed out. While the Florida couple is aware that the new pup will never be the same as the original Sir Lancelot, just the idea of sharing the same DNA is enough for them.
Having practically a mini adoption center for stray cats at my moms the whole cloning things seems highly unnecessary but so do a lot of things in life. And i really dont think this cloning will seriously cause people not to adopt from shelters. The Florida couple had numerous dogs and gave donations to shelters. I also feel that cloning while it does raise lots of ethical questions is a really quite an achievement in technology and advances in the health field.
Humans, though animal lover i am, are another and different story and require much more insight.
I am not the worlds biggest animal lover, but there are many people I care about who’s pets touch their lives. On the basis of cloning animals it is just one step closer to actually cloning a human being. It is almost as if they are building a staircase where every step is just one closer for it to be “moral” to clone humans. One side of me thinks it is messing with the laws of life to play God and say, “O just cause we can do it justifies that we should do it”. Another side makes me think that these people are slightly selfish that they feel they need to clone thieir pet instead of going out and getting another like most have had to do for centuries. I mean the couple in the article had 9 dogs as it is. Im sorry but if anyone was to recieve a cloned pet I don’t feel it should have been them.
Like I said I don’t know who it is up to to make the decision, but death is part of life. So many parents have to deal each year with their newborn babies dying who have an impossible time being able to concieve as it is. I just feel that cloning one thing opens the world to say that anything is ok, and I think they are missing the point. Cloning living organisms I do not believe in. However if they figure out a way to clone organs (organs don’t breathe and don’t have consciousness), I feel the world would benefit greatly. Lets see how long it takes them to put that one out on the market.
So this is really just weird. To be honest I haven’t heard much of cloning lately, or maybe I just haven’t been looking. But, cloning a dog because you loved the original soo much is just weird. Death is a natural thing, it happens to every living thing. And learning how to deal with it is a part of life as well. I love my great grandma a lot, and once she dies, I’ll have to learn to accept it, I’m not going to go out and clone her just to have her around again!
The husband said that even if the clone is any different, they will still have the same amount of love for him as the original. Well in that case, why not just go to a shelter and adopt a new pet. It will be different than your original as well, but you can still have love for it.
There is no way this should carry into humans. Once a person is gone it should remain that way. Why bring them back when the risk of greatly altering how things turn out is there? You may clone who you wanted, but the duplicate is no where near what the original one was, or what you wanted.
In my opinion I think that cloning animals would be a good idea because it is not hurting anybody instead it would benefite pet owners. I also, have been thinking of getting my two chihuahuas cloned if I had the money. I cannot picture my life without them they have been right by my side thru the thick and thin. However, I do not feel the same way about cloning people because it kinda scary and wierd. I think that humans would take advantage of this new technology which would cause more problems and crime in the world.
I think that this is a very controversial subject.
Although I understand what it is like losing a beloved pet, I feel that cloning is, and will always be an immoral thing to do.
Being religious, I suppose, has made this very easy for me to decide on, as I believe that we shouldn’t live past the time deemed for us by God. Some people argue with that saying that God expected us to come across this intelligence, however, I just believe that we should go the way God intends, instead of fighting it with cloning.
If you have a disease, cloning parts of your body (heart, lung, liver…etc…) is just fighting against God, and if you are intended to surpass the disease, then you will, but if its your time, that’s all there is to it.
I don’t really think I’m all about cloning, pets or anything. I can see why they starting cloning animals (wasn’t the first animal a goat or sheep) because it does show vast advancements in science but I don’t see how it would be benefical in day to day living. I understand how important pets are to people, I specifically remember two pet I had Cheetah (dog) and Stripes (cat) and what I wouldn’t give to see them again but not at the expense of an imposter. The cloned animal would never be the exact same animal. The only thing it carries that is identical is it’s DNA. The cloned pet/animal doesn’t carry the memories or the bond that I had with the first original pet. Even if I could replace Cheetah with a new younger model the cloned dog wouldn’t know me. And he certainly wouldn’t remember me. And if that animal failed to have the same love for me as the original and vice versa where does that leave him and me?
As for human cloning that is just too weird to consider. I believe that is the most wrong thing we can do as people and a society. If human cloning begins it opens a whole new can of worms. I think it goes along with people who genetically design their fetuses. Is it right to alter what sex, hair color, height, etc that your child has? Isn’t that just saying your child as-is isn’t good enough for you? While I believe science is a good thing to have to help with problems like cancer and other horrible diseases I also think at some point we should let nature take its course. If it deems that more people should share the exact DNA then nature will allow more fraternal twins.
This is a difficult topic to discuss as many emotions are elicited from it. Personally I feel as though cloning is messing with what and how we were intended to live our lives. Birth and then Death are the natural course of anyone/anythings life.
From personal experience I know that grieving the loss of a loved one whether it is a person, or a pet is one of the most difficult things you go through in life.
However, I can’t help but feel given our society today if this cloning process is more readily available it may elude to having some think that life is disposable since we can just clone you once your gone…. This is an extreme statement, I know, but I really feel as though learning to get through the process of loosing a loved one is a natural part of your life that you have to deal with. Also given the extreme cost of the procedure it would only be available to the extremely wealthy…..
I agree with David when he talked about cloning organs….now that would be something worth looking farther into! HA, but I am definately not a Biology/Science/Genetics major so who even knows if that is something remotely possible!!!
My dog was recently brought to the vet and we found out he was sick and it will be a very sad when he actually goes but I personally do not think I would ever be able to do this. I totally agree with the sentence at the end that although they have the same genetics the ways in which the pets are raised has a great impact on their actualy behaviors. You are cloning their genes but not the personality of the animal that the people have grown attached to. If we as a society accept cloning of pets, who knows how much further we will go, and the complexity of humans as a whole I think this would just bring out negative effects. In some cases their would be great achievments in cloning, but in others it can just be a big fail and disapointment.
I have never really thought of this topic before, but I really don’t think that it is a good idea. There are so many animals that don’t have families yet, and I feel that it is kind of selfish to pay so much money to clone a pet when there are so many out there. I know how hard it is to lose an animal that you love dearly, but so many others need love too.
I think that as a scientific breakthrough, the idea is a good one. However, I happen to agree with the Humane Society. There is an over population of pets and if we can’t take care of those animals, how can we take care of more. Also, so many people have a problem with paying so much in taxes and if we can take care of some of this problem, we can reduce some of our tax expense. I do think that if you have a pet that is very special, a clone would be a good way to keep some of that alive. A lot of people may think that the clone would be exactly like the original pet, and according to the article, it may not be. So there may be some disappointment on that front. As far as cloning humans, I think our society is still a little immature for that. I’m still a little undecided, but I don’t think we as a society are ready for that step yet.
I have heard about the idea of people cloning humans before, but again it was only the idea of cloning, now that they are talking about cloning animals; I dont think this is something that would be wise to do, simply because I’m not too sure how cloning works. Does the animanl think the same as the animal that they have cloned? besides the physaical characteristics what about the other qualities that the animal may have. I definately would not think this would be a smart idea to clone humans either.
The idea of cloning animals or humans is a bad one. Are the risks and dangers worth it? Besides, cloning disrupts the natural flow of life. Life is created by God out of love, the natural way and the way it was meant to be. If you cloned your pet, would the pet be the same pet it was, would it have the same temperment? Would cloning create a bunch of monsters, or would there be medical benefits? I don’t really know much about cloning and would have to have some questions answered before completely making an opinion about it. However, it does seem to mess with God’s master plan and the natural way of life, the way it was intended.
I do not think that people should be cloning their animals. Like someone else said, we all have life cycles that begin and end and we should not interfere with trying to hold to something for longer than it is intended.I know that losing a pet is never easy but death/losing someone special to us is something that we all need to learn how to deal with However, i do agree with you on the fact that it may seem really expensive right now but if more people would do it then the price would begin to drop. Its the same with things like cars too. On the aspect of cloning humans i would say NO WAY!i think it is just wierd.
Personally I don’t believe that cloning your pet or even a loved one is a good idea. I believe that when it is your time to go that’s it. To me it’s kind of like the people you see living on life support in the hospital for years, there is no life after that, and if the person is able to come back chances are they won’t be the same person or pet the you remember. I believe that when someone, or something dies their soul leaves them, so if you clone them it would be physically the same person/thing coming back but it would have a different soul. I believe that there are better things we should use our technology towards instead of cloning people.
Cloning is for sure a no! i agree pets mean a lot i had a dog for my whole childhood and when he died i was heart broken but i think its the way of nature. With pets it may be a bit easier than family memebers to teach children of loss and grief. Every one lives to die and that is the cycle of life how it has been for centuries.
This article was very suprising to me. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of any wanting to clone their pets. I don’t think that it is a good idea. The price would drop significantly if a lot of pople started doing it. As for cloning humans, I say NO!! The only way I would agree with cloning humans was if it was for a medical reason and someone or society were going to benefit from it.
I think that there would be a lot of negative consequences to cloning pets. As one person mentioned above there are already a very high number of animals that are in shelters, many of which are killed eventually because there are not enough homes. But the largest consequence to cloning pets is that it would only make people more comfortable with the idea, which would make the idea of cloning humans in the future more likely.
As for cloning humans…I think that is a horrible idea! First of all it is hard enough to deal with the loss of someone important to you but to try and bring that person back would cause you to never actually deal with their death. Also it has been proven that genes are not the only aspect that makes someone who they are…and therefore the cloned person would not even be the same as the original unless they experienced the exact same events and people in their life. And to have someone that looked exactly like someone you once loved, but doesn’t necessarily act the same and doesn’t have the same memories I think would just be more painful.
This topic hits close to home especially having two of my dogs I’ve had since I was very young pass away in the last year. Still with this happening, never would I want a clone of my dog. I do not think that is right at all and I would feel very uncomfortable with another version of “Rocket” or “Bailie”. I completely agree that the pet population is completely overcrowded and instead of cloning more puppies and immensely increasing the population, why don’t more people adopt from shelters and create all new memories with a brand new dog?
Everyone loves their pets, but like everything else, they die. It is part of life. Since there is no guarantee that the cloned animal will be exactly like the previous pet, I do not really see how it would be really beneficial. Especially since it costs that much money, no thank you. The are plenty of other animals that are in need of a loving home. Why not take one of those in? It sure doesn’t cost nearly as much.
As far as cloning human being goes, that too, is something I would prefer not to do. Has anyone ever seen the movie Godsend…. the idea just freaks me out. Furthermore, why would you want to bring someone back in your life that looks just the same, but is not. I think you would end up just being more hurt in the long run with a huge bill.
I don’t support the idea of cloning animals or humans. Every animal and every human is unique in some way and although cloning might bring it back it will never be original. Cloning is an impressive feat in our world today but I think if used frequently, it could begin to take over society. From endangered species to pet hamsters, it could be used for anything. Technoloy already rules our planet, maybe we should look at Huxley’s Brave New World closer. And with humans, I just don’t like the idea of creating humans genetically. We were all born naturally and set to pass away eventually; it should contiue to be that way.
I do not think that people or animals should be cloned. We were all meant to be indiviually unique and to try to mess with that could create problems. Since potential side effects of cloning may not be 100% preventable, why should we try? Especially with humans. I loved my pet that died recently, but I would never consider going back and having her cloned. She was made to be one of a kind and was not intended to be cloning. I believe that there are more important things that people could spend all that money on besides cloning their pets! I am just against cloning in general, we were not made to be duplicated!
I think that cloning animals and the science that comes with it is very interesting. However, like the article states there is an overpopulation of animals already and if more and more people started cloning problems may occur.
I do not think that human cloning should occur. I think it would be completely unordinary and weird to clone anyone! But the sciences and thought that are put into the cloning process I find amazing!
When it comes to cloning, I feel like it is impressive that we have the medical knowledge to do it, but i don’t think that I agree with it. It is nature for life to take its course and part of that is death. I also think that a line needs to be drawn somewhere, because why is it alright to clone an animal but not a human? I also think the article brought up a good point about how many animals go without a home. I feel as if we should be concentrating on saving the animals we have before creating more.
Rediculous. I can see the medical implications and benefits with the possibility of cloning, but in my opinion cloning your pet is just insane. As the aticle said, you’re not guaranteed to get the exact same animal back with the clone, so the thought just seems moot. Also, with a price tag that tops most peoples college and grad-school tuition, it seems unnecessary. I can understand missing a pet and wihsing to have them back, but I feel that pet owners owe it to their lost loved one to adopt and love another animal in need of a good home. As for as cloning humans I believe it’s out of the question as well. There’s too many crazy implications with having more than one of any individual running around, and if the clone is just for “spare parts” you have to deal with the morality of using a human being just for science. If they could find some sort of way to clone only organs, that would be wonderful, but it’s just too risky to clone entire humans.
Cloning is an issue that I am not particularily fond of but I can see the benefits. I feel that if we start cloning our pets next it will be humans, and I think that is taking it too far. Although from a scientific standpoint if we started cloning our pets we would almost guarantee a super generation of amazing pets. Also, cloning may help to find new medicines and cures. I’m not against finding new medicines but at some point that can also be taken out of hand. Thinking about it realistically, we really shouldn’t find the cure for every disease out there because there is a natural order and the earth can only sustain so many people.
Cloning is a very controversial issue and there are pros and cons to each side of the argument to whether cloning should be practiced. In the case of household pets being cloned, I think it doesn’t really make a lot of sense a majority people in the country think that the pet population, especially dogs, is too high. This over population cause many strays and dogs that suffer because they aren’t being taken care of. If people are truly dog lovers, it would make sense to adopt a stray dog instead of creating their own. This would help stray dogs and the pet population. Also, at this point I don’t think it’s a good idea to start practicing human cloning because as of now, there are too many risks that go along with it.
It’s actually very ironic to me that you chose this subject to blog about this week since I was just recently(within the past few days) watching a show on the discovery channel about animal cloning with my roommate. In this case, I do not see how cloning a pet would be of any benefit to the owner. I was going to bring this point up until I saw it in the article; the pet doesn’t look the same when it’s cloned. They don’t even have the same attitude necessarily. The only thing they really have are the same genetics which means they would not be allergic to certain things or not be at risk for diabetes and such things like that. To that, I have to say that’s what breeders are for. Even the best dogs from groomers are only a couple of thousand dollars which is nothing compared to the $155,000 this couple paid to have their dog cloned.
Before my ex girlfriend and I broke up shortly after school began, we were looking very seriously into getting a puppy. She is in love with golden doodles, and that’s what I was going to get her. While it does take much time to research and talk to different breeders and talk to some of their past and reoccurring customers, I still feel the time spent doing this not only helps you to learn a little bit more about your pet, but it is still less than shelling out 155 grand. The breeder we were going to purchase from was located in Texas, and we planned to go down over this past winter break or the upcoming spring break. Even after travel costs, I still can’t make sense of cloning your dog.
My family had a shih tzu from when I was 4 until we had it put down when I was 16. The dog absolutely loved me and I was obsessed with it. I took over all grooming duties and was the one to take the dog for walks and chase it around the yard. Our dog’s name was ‘Pumba’(like from the Lion King) and she slept in my room either on the floor or at the foot of my bed nearly every night. I was the last one to hold her, and I was the last person she ever licked(she was a pest when it came to that). Even though that dog may have known me better than any person on the planet and I spent more time with her than I have any friend, I can honestly say that even if I did have that much money I would probably find a good breeder and just get a new Pumba. Plus having a pet with a totally different personality than your last one is always exciting.
After reading the article, I do not think that people should be able to clone dogs. Not only does the article say that animals are overpopulated but there is also a lot of money put towards clonning and a lot of dangers and risks involved. I think that the science of cloning is really cool and the concept is interesting, I just do not think the world is ready for it yet!
In my opinion, I agree with cloning, but only pets. Although I can see both sides of the arguement. I know how it feels to lose a pet that is very close to you and how much a pet can mean to someone. It can be like a best friend there for you through everything, mostly cause they have no choice, but still. But at the same time I know that there are thousands of animals without homes. If the price of cloning came down I know that there are lots of people who would be interested in it. I do not, however, agree with cloning of humans. I do not think that scientists should even research it because it is too dangerous.
I don’t think that people should be allowed to clone their pets. Even though this is a good idea I just dont agree with it. Just think of all the other pets out there without a place to live, that people could easily pick up and nurture back together. You could always breed your dog as well, it may not be the exact same thing but it will be its offspring so you can love it just the same.
Now as far as humans that is a definite NO! We are placed on this earth to die so when its your time to go its your time to go. So many things could go wrong in the process of cloning humans, they could come out with all different sorts of side effects or whose to even say that they will make it? So no i think we should not clone humans and stick to the cycle that we have today which is you live and die its as simple as that.