New Book: Dog, Inc by John Woestendiek Explores Cloning Man's Best Friend

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.