Pet cloning: Science fiction or reality?

The concept of cloning pets has stepped off the big screen into reality. Making a genetic replica of your precious dog or cat sounds like something from a dream world, but it's no longer science fiction. Pet cloning exists—and it's already happening.

Cloning gained attention for the first time in 1996 when Dolly the sheep became the first successfully cloned mammal from an adult cell. Designed by researchers from the Roslin Institute in Scotland, Dolly's birth generated a significant breakthrough in science and caused ethical controversies on a global scale.

Since then, cloning technology has developed very fast. From sheep and cows to pigs and horses, scientists have cloned numerous animals. And now, science has come to our living rooms by cloning our pets.


Cloning is real indeed. From a scientific standpoint, cloning refers to the technique of producing an identical copy of a living being on a genetic level. Naturally speaking, identical twins are, in essence, natural clones. In a laboratory setting, though, cloning is a highly complicated procedure through the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), in which the donor adult cell nucleus is injected into an egg cell whose nucleus has been deleted.

This technique enables researchers to create embryos that can be inserted into a surrogate animal. If the procedure works, the surrogate delivers an animal with the identical genetic profile of the original donor.

Although human cloning is still illegal and highly controversial, animal cloning—specifically pet cloning—is already in the process of being commercialized.

Yes, animal cloning is not just a fact, but also a thriving business. Several biotechnology companies, mostly based in the United States, South Korea, and China, are now selling pet cloning at astronomical prices. The most well-established company is ViaGen Pets in the United States, and it costs them around $50,000 to clone a dog and $35,000 to clone a cat.

The process starts by obtaining and preserving the pet's cells, normally collected after the pet has died or even before it dies. The cells are grown in the lab and are then utilised during the cloning procedure. If it's successful, a surrogate mother delivers and gives birth to a clone—a genetic copy of the original animal.

Although the concept sounds like magic, it is based on hard science. Nevertheless, cloned pets are not carbon copies, personality- and behavior-wise. Although their DNA is the same, environment, training, and socialization determine a pet's overall personality.


Indeed, dogs were initially cloned in 2005 by a South Korean group of scientists led by Dr. Hwang Woo-suk, and they created a cloned Afghan hound called Snuppy. To date, hundreds of dogs have been cloned around the world.

High-profile cases have made the idea more acceptable. In 2018, American singer Barbra Streisand announced that two of her dogs were cloned from her deceased Coton de Tulear, Samantha. Celebrities and affluent pet owners have increasingly resorted to cloning as a means of "bringing back" their beloved pets.

But the process is not flawless. Cloning dogs is still more difficult than cloning other creatures because of their reproductive physiology. The success rate is fairly low, and the ethical issues are still high. Critics argue that cloning increases the population of animals and diverts attention away from adoption drives. Animal rights activists also mention the possible pain of surrogate mothers and unsuccessful attempts in the cloning process.

The emergence of pet cloning poses significant ethical and philosophical concerns. Are we cloning pets just because we can? Is it right for the cloned animal to be brought into existence to take the place of another?

Most of the experts are concerned with the implications of commodifying pets as replaceable products instead of as individuals. It is also of concern how cloning technology can become normalized in daily life, opening the way for more disputable applications, such as human cloning.

Also, cloned pets can appear identical, but they are not identical individuals. They do not share the same memories, life experiences, or emotional bonds. To expect a cloned pet to behave like the original can be disappointing or lead to unrealistic expectations.

Though controversial, pet cloning will probably become more widespread in the coming years as technology improves and costs decrease. Researchers are continually perfecting the procedure to enhance success rates, decrease complications, and make it more accessible.

Others even dream of a time when cloning might assist in saving threatened species or resurrecting extinct ones. These uses are currently in preliminary study stages, but they highlight the vast potential of cloning technology.