Identity of Cloned Dog Confirmed by Veterinary Researchers
Cloned dogs and cats have been in the news quite a bit. A company named BioArts recently cloned a deceased dog named Missy. The dog had belonged to an elderly billionaire named John Sperling. Here is an excerpt from an article in The Independent that discussed the matter.
Utterly devoted to his mongrel dog Missy, a three-quarters Border collie and a quarter Siberian husky mix, the 87-year-old set about pouring millions of his own money into research that could one day help reunite owners with their deceased pets.
The last few words of the above quote say a great deal about the misconceptions surrounding cloning. Many people for some reason believe that a cloned pet will be identical to the original. This absolutely is not true.
Cloned animals are genetically identical (with the exception of a form of genetic material called mitochondrial DNA) to the originals. This does not mean that the appearance, behavior, or temperament of cloned individuals will be identical. In fact, the clone may bear little resemblance to the original in many of these regards.
Many things besides genetics play a role in the development of personality and appearance. The environment inside the uterus, nutrition after birth and exposure to other elements in the outside world all shape individuals. It is completely unrealistic to expect a cloned animal to be identical to the original in every, or even any way.
Nonetheless, plenty of people are willing to pay heavily for cloned animals. And, as the Fall, 2008 issue of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine News reports, Missy’s clones were legitimate. From the report:
[T]he school’s experts were the ones who confirmed that the animals were indeed clones of Missy, a dog that died in 2002. The [Veterinary Genetics Laboratory's] parentage testing laboratory used a canine-specific panel of 24 DNA markers to confirm that Missy’s nuclear DNA was present in each of the clones . . . Missy’s mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is another factor.
Cloned pets are now a reality. But are they really necessary?
You have questions. 
While the late Mr. Sperling may have had more than enough financial means to engage in such a quixotic quest, someone should have been seriously questioning his rationality! It’s obvious to me that this level of devotion to an animal had frankly reached the level of obsessional dementia! Think of the real good these millions could have accomplished in research which would have been of immense value to so many, many living animals including ourselves! Where was his family? What was his legal counsel thinking? What addlewitted court allowed this to go on? I find this to be absolutely as foolish and outrageous as it is sad!
[...] Identity of Cloned Dog Confirmed by Veterinary Researchers: “ [...]
I know I’m old fashioned but I just cannot stand behind cloning people or animals. You ask ‘is it really necessary?’ and my answer is absolutely not.
Cloning animals or people seems to be playing god, and thats just not right. But cloning body parts to help keep animals or people alive might be a good idea.
why is my cockatiel so moody? Sometimes she is very sweet and wants to give “kisses” and be petted and sometimes she bites at my finger when I try to pet her. She has even been known to hiss at me and everyone else. She is not so bad when it comes to my dad however. She use to not be so moody but lately it has been happening a lot. What could be the problem?
Sorry wrong section
is cloning a deceased pet necessary? No. As you described, the personality cannot be cloned. And whatever made a pet the favorite and unique companion it was, unfortunately dies with it.
But there are so many homeless animals in shelters that can become a new favorite, and completely unique companion, if only given the chance.
I wish cloning had not become available commercially. Not only do breeders and puppy mills continue to add to the massive wave of pet overpopulation, but now, cloning. This is nuts.