Cloning Pets: Is it Ethical?

By: Jo Singer

The bond between people and their pets can be one of the deepest connections we may ever feel, even superseding those formed with other humans. With the degree of love and affection that can develop with our pets, when they die the degree of grief over their loss can be devastating. Of course, this grief is the price we pay for loving. Death is inevitable and most of us dread that inevitable loss.

Today science has provided us with an option which potentially can stave off that deep sorrow. If we are fortunate enough to have the financial wherewithal, we can have our beloved pets cloned. Several companies are offering this service to pet owners around the country.

Recently I read an article on the Internet about Edgar Otto and his wife, Nina, who reside in Florida. They recently welcomed a cloned copy of Lancelot, their beloved yellow Labrador retriever, who died a year ago. Their new puppy, Lancelot Encore, is nicknamed "Lancy" and had a price tag of $155,000; the cost of the cloning process.

They won their bid in an auction with a biotech company in San Francisco, Ca. They had submitted a sample of Lancelot's DNA to a company in South Korea five years ago, banking it for future use, when they learned that cloning was possible. It was their wish to "prolong" their relationship with Lancelot.

Edgar Otto is the son of the co- founder of NASCAR, Edward Otto, so finances were not an issue for the family. The Ottos report that Lancy is amazingly similar to Lancelot, not only in appearance, but in some of his unique behaviors, such as the way he crosses his paws, and the way he walks. Mrs. Otto said, "I only was hoping to get the essence of Lancelot back. I know I've gotten that. Anything else is icing on the cake."

And while the Ottos are thrilled with their puppy, is he really a carbon copy of Lancelot? Is he the same dog? I have both ethical and emotional questions about this procedure. I am happy for the Ottos who are enjoying Lancy. But is it really possible to separate the two so that he is loved uniquely for himself? Is there an unconscious motivation on the part of people who clone their pets to avoid the grieving process when they extract DNA for future action? And . . . if there are underlying genetic problems, won't this just double the risk of any offspring from a cloned dog to be passed on to future generations?

As far as I am concerned, as I fantasize about cloning one of my wonderful kitties, I keep thinking I might even hold some resentment toward the cloned cat. After all, the copy, no matter how "identical", can never replace the original kitty, nor do I think it should. What are your thoughts about cloning a beloved pet? If it were financially feasible, would you consider doing it? Leave a comment and share your feelings.