Cloning Stewie
Is it ethical to clone a pet?
After a stranger commented on how they would love to have my dog, a friend once asked, “If you could clone Stewie, would you?”
“Sure. If it cost like 50 bucks,” was my response.
Stewie
For those of you haven’t had the pleasure to meet Stewie, he’s my amazing dog. Every dog owner’s claim theirs is the best, but I can guarantee my dog is better than yours. ☺
He was born in the Santa Cruz SPCA to a sweet-hearted basset hound mix who was found wandering the streets of Los Angeles pregnant and homeless. His litter mates were an eclectic lot and ran the gamut from short-legged patchy pups to tall solid colored ones.
Just twelve weeks old when I arrived, they were all cute and I had a difficult time deciding. However after playing with them a couple times I picked the attentive yet relaxed one.
I’ve had puppies before, but never one like Stewie. From day one, he was always aware of his surroundings and acted appropriately. Inside he would chill out, play with his toys, and almost never barked. Outside he’d run around like he was born to play, chasing balls and sprinting around the park with other dogs. He was housebroken in a few days with minimal training and even today at five years old his fur is still as soft as it was when he was a puppy.
His temperament is amazing and on occasion he will even come to work with me. My friends and coworkers spoil him all the time and he has learned how to make the most of it. People flap his ears and “threaten” to steal him. He’s even inspired a few friends to get dogs of their own.
I try to take some credit when people comment on him, but in the nature versus nurture debate, I won the genetic lottery with Stu. He is a real wunderhund.
Breed
Ever since our first walk together in Mountain View, he has been a great conversation starter no matter where we lived. In Milan hearing, “che bello (how beautiful)” or “che carino (how cute),” was a daily occurrence and was often preceded with an extended “Awwww…”
No matter where we were, what followed next was always the same, “What breed is he?”
At the time my reply was, “I don’t know. He’s a mixed breed from the SPCA.” Their response to my answer often revealed just how loaded their question could be.
The majority would say something like, “Aww, that’s great.”
However I had multiple people accuse me of lying. Some thought he was a new designer breed like a Labradoodle and others thought I wouldn’t tell them because I wanted to ensure he was unique in the area. The nail in the conversation’s coffin was that I couldn’t even tell them his mix.
It occurred so often in Silicon Valley that I made up a few designer breed names to shut them up (most popular was “Cruz Hound”). However the repeated questioning even made me want to know his mix. So at nine months old I had a DNA test done on him…
I found his background fascinating, but even armed with an answer, his mix just baffled the purebred mindset.
The interesting part was how my internal monologue evolved over time during those negative conversations. Was I first heard them, I was just confused by their negativity. Later their arrogance and presumptions about rescue dogs just pissed me off.
However I now take it as a compliment. Stewie is unique and that makes him desirable (even more so in affluent areas). I now use the opportunity to try to change their minds about rescue dogs.
50 Bucks
With animal cloning becoming more prevalent the thought of cloning Stu has crossed my mind multiple times. At this point you might be wondering, “If Stewie is so valuable, why would you let people clone him for only $50?”
The way I look at it, why should I be selfish and keep him to myself? I would love to play with another puppy like Stu. ☺
For me, the ethical quandary is not the concept of cloning — it’s the current process and the price point.
Price Point
I often wince when I hear of people spending large sums on designer dogs and purebreds. I understand people want consistency and specific traits, but in many lines it has lead to inbreeding which often make the dogs prone to genetic issues. The high prices encourage puppy mills where animals are kept in horrific conditions. None of that sits well with me, but people like what they like, and there is little I can do to stop them.
However to clone a dog now costs tens of thousands of dollars (the current price listed on My Friend Again’s site is $100,000 per dog)! That amount crosses an ethical line for me. How many dogs, or people, could be helped with that amount?
People love their dogs and don’t ever want to lose them, but in mathematical terms they are saying to the world…
Cloning Dogs Today
The procedure for dogs involves creating multiple embryo clones and implanting them into surrogate mothers who carry them to term. Sounds simple enough, but there is a high rate of birth defects and mortality among the cloned puppies.
In most facilities there are no plans to care for the puppies born with birth defects and they are often euthanized. The thought of puppies being discarded during the process is gut wrenching.
There have also been documented cases where shelter dogs were used as surrogate mothers, and if they didn’t work out, they were just killed. Similar to factory farms, these animals are treated as pieces of machinery rather than the mothers of future pets.
The amount of money involved has incentivized unsavory players to enter the cloning black market, and like puppy mills, has lead to appalling conditions for the animals involved.
The Future
Is $50 the right price point?
I don’t know. However like all technology, it always starts out expensive and drops over time as the procedures are streamlined and mass produced. If it ever does reach that point, I’m hopeful that it will be quick, safe, and near error free. I’m also hesitant on what that means for all the dogs that need homes.
In either scenario, knowing that there are thousands of animals in need around the world, $100,000 for a dog is an unacceptable price.
You’ll have to wait if you want a copy of Stewie. If you can’t wait, either stop by and visit or go check out your local dog shelter and find an awesome pup of your own. ☺
To adopt a dog today check out the Stewie’s original home, the Santa Cruz SPCA, or PetFinder.com.
If you can’t have a dog, but want to help improve the conditions for dogs, donate to your local SPCA or check out organizations like The Coalition to Unchain Dogs in North Carolina and The Welfare of Stray Dogs in Mumbai.
Additional Reading…
