Best Friends Again: About Cloning: FAQs

General FAQs

I want to clone my dog in the future. What should I do?

To clone a dog it is necessary to have a viable tissue sample from the donor dog. This tissue sample contains cells which carry your dogs DNA. You can have your vet perform a tissue biopsy while your dog is alive or up to five days after your dog has passed away. The DNA must be properly stored and there are a few reputable gene banking facilities that will properly preserve your dog’s DNA and store it for future use. Check out the Gene Banking FAQs for more information.

Will a pet clone have the same behavior as the genetic donor?

It’s well established that genes influence two key components of behavior—intelligence and temperament—which is why golden retrievers tend to behave differently than pit bulls. Of course a clone doesn't inherit the memories and experiences of its genetic donor; it's a unique individual, like an identical twin born later. But if a clone is raised in a similar way as its genetic donor, you’ll probably see behavioral similarities, just as the late Missy's family has seen with Missy's clones.

Is it true that clones age prematurely?

The theory that clones are born "old" or age rapidly has been proven to be false. This myth was reinforced by speculation that the early death of Dolly the cloned sheep was due to premature aging. But Dolly developed a common respiratory infection, and there's no evidence that being a clone had anything to do with it. The age of the genetic donor (the animal whose DNA is used to produce a clone) does not affect the age or aging process of the clone.

Ethics FAQs

Given that people who clone their pets might otherwise adopt unwanted pets, aren't you adding to the problem of unwanted dogs and cats?

There are tens of millions of dogs born around the world every year. We are only offering 5 cloning spots so the impact on the overall dog population is negligible. It should be noted that the original dog Missy was adopted from the pound. Best Friends Again encourages would-be dog owners to consider adopting a wonderful pet from a local dog shelter or pound.

Is the Best Friends Again project exploiting grieving pet owners who have lost their beloved animals and think that cloning will bring them back?

Although we're sensitive to the grief felt by people whose pets have died, most of our clients seek our services while their pets are still alive. Regardless, we help all prospective clients make informed choices based on realistic expectations about cloning. We decline business from people who want us to bring specific pets back to life. Nobody can do that. Our goal is to produce new pets possessing the same genes as previous pets. That's what our clients want and it's a service we can realistically perform.

Isn't this playing God?

Humankind has been shaping nature for thousands of years, since the beginning of agriculture and animal husbandry. We see cloning as a new form of assisted reproduction, not that different from artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization, perceived by some as "ungodly" when introduced just decades ago.

Isn't cloning cheating death?

We don't see how. Both the genetic donor and the clone, like all living things, will eventually die.

Are you involved in human cloning?

Absolutely not. Interestingly, dog cloning is much more difficult than human cloning primarily because dog reproductive physiology is much less understood than human reproductive physiology. Our cloning efforts are aimed at providing a service to loving pet owners and advancing the body of knowledge in canine reproductive physiology.

What impact will cloning have on genetic diversity?

Our typical client wishes to obtain a single clone of a mixed breed pet that is spayed, neutered, or beyond breeding age. The clone, therefore, will actually preserve the diversity of the gene pool by preventing the loss of the individual genome. However, the pet population is already so large and varied that concerns over diversity are irrelevant. For endangered species, the big surprise is that cloning may actually increase genetic diversity. There are various reasons why some individuals within an endangered population do not breed, including age, environmental factors, or simply being at the wrong level for breeding status in that species' social hierarchy. By cloning non-breeding or deceased members of an endangered population, we can potentially increase the genetic diversity of that species. Our policy is that cloning should be the method of last resort for species preservation, because it is far less efficient than habitat preservation, poaching control, and captive breeding. However, for a severely bottlenecked population, cloning may be the only alternative to extinction.

Doesn't pet cloning research result in a lot of dead animals?

Animal cloning research entails the production of large numbers of cloned embryos, some of which do not survive. The vast majority of such embryos only develop to a few cells in size then fail to implant in the uterus of the embryo recipient. These early embryos have no consciousness. It's misleading to refer to them as "dead animals."

Gene Banking FAQ

How do I store my dog’s DNA for cloning?

To clone a dog it is necessary to have a viable tissue sample from the donor dog. This tissue sample contains cells which carry your dogs DNA. You can have your vet perform a tissue biopsy while your dog is alive or up to five days after your dog has passed away. It is generally agreed that tissue samples from a live dog are better than those from a deceased dog. The DNA must be properly stored and there are a few reputable gene banking facilities that will properly preserve your dog’s DNA and store it for future use. For gene banking services, contact Minitube USA, Inc. Call 1-800-646-4882, and request to speak with Todd Schaaf, a sales representative. You will need to arrange a tissue biopsy procedure with your veterinarian.

Does gene banking hurt my pet?

No. The procedure is done under local or general anesthesia by your own veterinarian in his/her office. When your pet awakens, he or she will have two small stitched areas, one in the abdomen and one in the mouth. The mouth stitches will reabsorb on their own, while the abdominal stitches will have to be removed when the incision has healed.

How long after death can you obtain viable DNA?

After numerous experiments and actual post-mortem jobs, we've determined that we must receive a pet's tissue within five days of death, regardless of how the body has been preserved.

How long can DNA last when stored using your methods?

A century at least. Cellular DNA stored in liquid nitrogen has been re-grown after decades.

How much controversy should I expect if I do gene banking work for my clients?

Little, if any. First of all, comments we've received from the general public run about 4 to 1 in favor of our work. The negative comments we receive are often based on myths or ignorance about genetics and cloning. Furthermore, even people who have negative feelings about cloning tend not to object to gene banking.

How do I schedule a biopsy procedure?

You can schedule biopsy procedures with your own veterinarian. If the veterinarian is unfamiliar with our requirements, you may provide him or her with a copy of our “Biopsy Instructions For Veterinarians," available for download in the "Winner's Process" section of this website (under Auction). Following the biopsy procedure, the veterinarian will usually send the biopsy to the appropriate lab on the same day. However, because labs are often closed on weekends and holidays, a veterinarian will sometimes have to store the biopsy in a refrigerator until it can be overnighted to the lab.