Pet Clones

Cloning animals has become increasingly more common in many commercial applications. For example, ranchers use it to strengthen their livestock herds and horse owners have been known to replicate their best steeds for competition or breeding. Now dog and cat owners are taking advantage of the science to create genetic twins of their favorite pets.

The process – called genetic preservation (GP) – involves collecting a tissue sample, a procedure that can be performed in any veterinary office. The biopsy is then sent to the cloning facility where additional cells are cultured and frozen until the owner is ready to clone their pet. According to a provider of cloning services, cloned twins not only look like their original “parent.” Since the cells are genetically identical, they often share other key attributes such as temperament and intelligence.

Cloning your favorite animal will set you back a few bucks – an estimated $35,000 for a cat, $50,000 for a dog and $85,000 for a horse. But that’s not the only side of the story. The technology is also being used to protect endangered species including coral that is dying out due to increasing water temperatures. In this way, cloning can help to conserve important resources and preserve biodiversity.