$150,000 For Clone of Pit Bull

I recently read an article where a woman in California is paying $150,000 (no, that is NOT a typo) to have her recently deceased dog Booger ( also NOT a typo) cloned by a company in Korea. In this post I am going to go over the information available on this topic and give some personal insight into what I feel. This is a very sensitive subject, and I know it touches everyone around the world. Cloning has long been viewed as “playing God” and as something that is not right or proper in this world. Others believe that cloning is like a gift from God, that we as humans were given this knowledge from a higher power to use for the good of humanity.

I know there will be varying opinions about this topic, all I ask is that if you leave a comment, please keep it clean and please do not attack the views of someone else. It is my wish that people of all ages can read this blog and express their opinions - but please be respectful about everyone else’s views and opinions. I hope you enjoy this post, and I strongly encourage you to leave whatever thoughts you may have.

The woman’s name is Bernann McKunney, she lives in California, and she is ready and willing to fork over $150,000 for a copy of her deceased Pit Bull Booger. Booger saved her life by fighting off another dog who was attacking her. There is no doubt in my mind that she loved her dog, and that every day she misses having him around. After Booger died, Bernann froze part of his ear in hopes of cloning him in the future.

The company doing the cloning is based in South Korea, RNL Bio is currently working on the order and plans to deliver the final product to her next February. Their success rate for producing a dog by cloning is around 75% and it marks the first time a dog will be cloned in a commercial contract. RNL Bio’s usual customers are the South Korean police who have narcotic sniffing animals cloned for their abilities. The company has been recognized as producing the country’s first dog clone - an Afghan hound named “Snuppy”.

The marketing director for RNL Bio has been quoted as saying:

The cost for cloning a dog may come down to less than $50,000, as cloning is becoming an industry.

The director also believes the company will receive up to 500 orders in the next few years from pet owners with a similar desire. Am I the only one who thinks this is a little odd? I mean, you have to think and wonder what exactly the “double Booger” will be like, how will he act, what will he look like? I think there is such a great risk in cloning animals - I am hoping Bernann does not have high expectations. She should not be going into this thinking that the clone is going to be EXACTLY the same as the original Booger. She should go into counseling beforehand to make sure she is mentally able to deal with what may happen.

The personality and temperament of the “double Booger” may be exactly opposite of the original. Would she be able to put the animal down if it was aggressive? Personally, I don’t think I would ever take the risk of having a deceased pet cloned. Too many things could go wrong and no matter what you do, the cloned dog will never be the same as the original. In a way I almost feel sorry for this woman - she has lost something she deeply loved, something she had a very strong connection with and I am certain it has effected her every day. Sometimes I think we need to realize that everything happens for a reason, and while we may not think it is right or fair, there is a bigger plan at work here.

I am also reminded of Stephen King’s movie “Pet Sematary” - if you aren’t familiar with the story, let me just tell you a little bit about it. It is about a family who moves into a small town and learns from a neighbor about an ancient Indian burial ground. The family’s cat is hit and killed on their busy street so the father and neighbor decide to bury the cat in the burial ground with the hopes of reviving the cat. The cat does come back, but it is not how it used to be - it is mean, and just the total opposite of how it used to act. Tragically the family’s youngest son is also hit and killed by a semi - the father has the bright idea of burying his son to bring him back to life, and……you can probably see where this is going. By the way, I DO NOT RECOMMEND this movie to any young children.

Another aspect of the cloning that I do not agree with is the fact that our planet is already overpopulated with unwanted cats and dogs. I would think this would only add to the problem. Less and less people will adopt shelter animals (meaning more and more of them will be put to sleep) and the natural process of the world would become completely out of order. Will it get to the point where animals are no longer breeding and giving birth? Will it all be in laboratories around the world? At what point does it stop? Technology is a wonderful thing but it can also be a very dangerous tool. As human beings I think we need to take a step backward and think about the impact this would have on the world and life as we know it.

The world is a strange place sometimes and I think in this day and age, for someone to be spending $150,000 on a clone of their deceased dog - they must have a little bit of extra money laying around. In no way am I trying to demean her - it’s her money, she should do with it whatever she pleases - but I am hoping someone is able to reach her and let her know that her dog may not be the same, and she will have to live with her decision.

I want all my readers to know that I am 100% an advocate of adoption - whether it is a puppy, mixed breed, or an adult dog/cat. There are so many unwanted animals dropped at shelters every single day. Think about what Bernann’s $150,000 could have done for a local animal shelter. Please be thinking about shelter animals and what they go through on a daily basis, never knowing when they may be euthanized. To donate to the Humane Society of the United States, please click on the “Donate” tab at the top of this page - your small gift will do wonders in shelters across the country!

Thanks for reading! As always your participation in comments and discussions are encouraged and greatly appreciated!!