The $155,000 Puppy
We’ve barked up this tree before: how much is too much to spend on your pet?
$8,000 for kitty’s kidney transplant?
$12,000 for doggy’s dialysis?
$155,000 to clone a dead Labrador named Lancelot?
Sir Lancelot was a yellow Lab that loved bagels, pillows, and shoes. His death last year from skin cancer “devastated” his owners, Ed and Nina Otto. “He was a human dog,” Mr. Otto lamented. “He read your emotions.”
Years before Lancelot got sick, the Otto’s froze and banked his DNA. Last summer, they turned it over to a company that auctioned off the chance to clone a pet. The Otto’s winning bid: $155,000
In January, the Otto’s new puppy—a 10-week-old yellow Lab named Lancelot Encore— flew from South Korea, where he was cloned, to South Florida, where the Otto’s live on 12 acres with nine other pet dogs and various cats, birds, and sheep.
When the clone arrived, so did the criticism: that designing a pet was an irresponsible use of technology, especially when U.S. shelters euthanize millions of unwanted pets each year; and that Lancelot cost a lot.
“For $155,000, we could do spays and neuters for six months,” said the head of a local Florida animal services department. The Otto’s, however, have been steady donors to the Humane Society in Palm Beach County, giving $300,000 in the last three years—double the cost of the clone.
But the Humane Society calls cloning “disreputable” and says “cloning cannot replicate an animal’s uniqueness. Cloning can only replicate a pet’s genetics, which influence but do not determine his physical attributes or personality.”
Nina Otto disagrees. “I think he’s Sir Lancelot,” she said of Lancelot Encore. “I know there are a lot of people in this world who think this is an unfair thing to do. I don’t.”
“Think about this,” said Ed Otto. “You could have your favorite dog with you your entire life. I don’t think that’s too far-fetched.”
Tell us what you think: Is paying $155,000 to clone a dead pet responsible, irresponsible, or something else? If you have money, does it matter how you spend it?
Add Comment Share This
Comments
Heartless person
Some people love their animals like they love their children. Pretend your child dies. Wouldn’t you want them to come back to life? That’s what they did. They brought back their love. Let them enjoy and do whatever they want with their money!
Hetal Patel | 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
cloning opinion
i dont think this is fair because nothing could ever replace my kota-girl not even a clone of her.
derek klyne | 4 months, 1 week ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
blah
“if you could have your favorite dog your entire life” how would u know if u only had that dog.
Blah | 4 months, 1 week ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Artist
I couldn’t agree more with Christine’s thoughts on this topic. Thank you for saying it so well.
Susan | 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
same person
by the way, how in the world do you think a HUMAN BEING can put a SOUL into a cloned animal???? dont think they have souls? then explain to me how they are able to love. Use your heads nuckleheads
unanimous | 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Cloning
To me, I don’t like the fact that people can clone animals in the first place. It’s not cruel or anything but I just don’t think that it is right.
christina smith | 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Cloning Lancelot
I envy the Otto’s. If I had the dough, I’d clone my Rottweiller, a perfect in every way pet who is our very best companion. Nay sayers, I feel sorry for you, as it is obvious you’ve never had a non-human companion that you love deeply.
donovan sigerfoos | 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
mine manager
You know, spending money on a pet that has unconditional love is one thing, but if you have money to burn and you need to replace your cat or dog or what ever, why not go to your local animal rescue, spca, or humain society and adopt. This spending an outrages amount to have something clonned is a little bizarr. Spending money for injuries or sickness I can see spending a small fortune. But instead of duplicating, visit the animal shealters, alot of loving pets and it would mean that we would’nt be adding more animals into the over populated world that we have now. Most of these from shealters are already fixed and had there shots.
Douglas Hill | 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Director of Cloning Services
NO, it’s not irresponsible. It’s not hurting anyone to have your pet reproduced. I just lost my beloved Rocky whom I had for 14 years and I simply can’t get over the grief. I’d do anything to have Rocky.
Carole Lonsway | 3 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
I'd do it if I had the money
I’ve had several pets, but the one that captured my heart broke it when he died. I’d clone him in a second if I could. I just want him back.
Loving Pet Owner | 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
« First < 9 10 11 12 13 > Last » (14 pages)