Okay, I admit that from time to time I've said I want to clone Lucy. Lucy is my heart dog and I honestly can't imagine my life without her. (I also admit that I sometimes wish I'd let her have a litter of puppies, just so I could have another small piece of her. But that's another story.)
At any rate, the sheer cost of such a venture is more than daunting. Plus, the more I thought about it, the more I questioned the whole idea. If I were able to have Lucy cloned... what would I accomplish? I'd have a physical replica of her. Wouldn't I? And is it her physical beauty that's important? Nope. As I told the author of Dog, Inc, John Woestendiek, I don't think they've yet figured out to clone souls.
I have not yet read John's new book Dog, Inc.: The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man’s Best Friend, but I've signed up for the Amazon pre-order and am looking forward to December 30 when it will be released. You may be familiar with his beloved ohmidog! blog. I figure if the writing is half as good as his current Travels with Ace series, then the book is absolutely not to be missed. Sounds like a barking good read for any dog lover.
Here's what the Dog, Inc: The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man's Best Friend web site has to say:
Ever Wish You Could Clone Your Dog? You can, for $100,000 or so. But whether you should is another question —one that’s investigated and explored in Dog, Inc.: The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man’s Best Friend. What Stiff did for the dead and Fast Food Nation did for the burger, Dog, Inc. does for the stranger-than-fiction world of commercial dog cloning.
It all began with a pit bull named Booger. Former beauty queen Bernann McKinney was so distraught over the death of her dog, whom she regarded as her guardian and savior, that she paid $50,000 to RNL Bio for the chance to bring her beloved companion back to life. The result was five new Boogers—the first successful commercial cloning of a canine—delivered in 2008, along with a slew of compelling questions about the boundaries of science, commerce, and ethics. Blending shocking investigative reporting with colorful anecdotes, Pulitzer Prize-winning John Woestendiek takes readers behind the scenes of this emerging industry.
But Dog, Inc. isn't just a book about pets. Nor is it just a book about science. Rather it's a fascinating look at how our emotional needs are bending the reaches of science and technology, as well as a study of this uncharted territory. With our pet obsession climbing to new heights and our scientific abilities even more so, this combination raises a serious concern: Are we crossing the boundary of controlling science in the name of science, in the name of love, in the name of merchandising—or a blend of all three?
Dog, Inc.: the Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man's Best Friend by John Woestendiek. Order your copy today.
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