# Would you want a clone of your pet? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256 "2014-02-13T16:10:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/1 "2014-02-13T16:10:04Z")
I had a rather frustrating conversation with a friend on this topic, she was of the opinion that cloning her pet dog meant that if he died she could have him back again. She didn’t seem to grasp that a clone would merely be _physically_ identical not that it would have the same personality and memories of her pet.\* Even understanding that this is the case would you still want a clone of your pet assuming the process was relatively inexpensive _(which it isn’t!)_. \*personally I blame Hollywood ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/2 "2014-02-13T16:21:53Z")
Personality I can accept – if you raised your dog from a young pup, then it stands to reason that another pup with the same DNA raised in the same environment would likely have a similar personality. But did she honestly think that the clone would have the same _memories?_ I can see the appeal; I’ve had a 50% track record with dogs from the pound. I might rather clone a known-good dog than toss the dice with another rescue dog. But personally, I wouldn’t do it. I’d miss out on the joy of getting to know a new friend. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/3 "2014-02-13T16:23:26Z")
animals of the same breed already are rather alike, which perhaps renders the question quite pointless unless you use the sci-fi definition of clone. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/4 "2014-02-13T16:23:40Z")
[http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3076908/ns/health-cloning/](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3076908/ns/health-cloning/) It won’t even be physically identical! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/5 "2014-02-13T17:38:55Z")
We’ve discussed this here before, and I said no. My baby is the best dog ever but she’s got some physical problems that I would not want to deal with again - or have a dog suffer through again. She can’t be replaced - why settle for some inferior copy with the same health issues? Boo! ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/6 "2014-02-13T17:43:12Z")
No. When it’s their time to go it’s their time to go, and I will always have my memories to cherish. A clone is simply that - a _clone_ - not my best friend. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/7 "2014-02-13T17:45:18Z")
I say yes. He’s a pretty unique mutt mix I’ve never seen before and a great personality to boot. I like to take credit for at least some of his personality. Realistically I would love to have a little action figure made to look just like him. My kids have a bunch of animal figures they play with, but the dogs they have are all regular boring old breeds. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/8 "2014-02-13T18:05:11Z")
No. I want my pet to live forever. Failing that, I want a different pet. There are countless animals with good personalities, it would be ridiculous to think I need to create one with science. And I want to give a home to an animal who needs one. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/9 "2014-02-13T18:11:24Z")
Yes. I lost my soul mate kitty at 19, so genetics aren’t a problem. I recognize that a clone wouldn’t be exact, and I’d think of it as more like a sibling to my kitty, but I’d love to have a piece of her with me. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/10 "2014-02-13T18:14:20Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > No. I want my pet to live forever. Failing that, I want a different pet. There are countless animals with good personalities, it would be ridiculous to think I need to create one with science. And I want to give a home to an animal who needs one. Exact same with me. My first thought was yes, I want my long lost german shorthair back. But not really, it would be a different animal even if it were identical in everyway. I will just find new ones to love. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/11 "2014-02-13T18:25:45Z")
Frankly, the world doesn’t need more animals. I wouldn’t clone my cat for the same reason I wouldn’t want her to breed - there are a depressing amount of animals out there who need a home without me making more. Plus, chances are the environmental factors when raising the pet wouldn’t be _exactly_ the same, so a different personality would emerge. Having a genetically identical copy of a beloved pet that has a different personality would be . . . strange. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/12 "2014-02-13T19:03:01Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > I had a rather frustrating conversation with a friend on this topic, she was of the opinion that cloning her pet dog meant that if he died she could have him back again. . . When. WHEN he died. No wonder it was a frustrating conversation: basic facts were not in order. To answer the OP: no. For all the reasons everyone who’s already said the same has already shared. Hell, I wouldn’t want a clone of my beloved dead husband, let alone a dog or cat, even though they were all respectively the best dude, childhood dog, and kitteh this planet has ever known. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/13 "2014-02-13T19:11:18Z")
Probably not. Unless they fixed the myriad issues with cloning, you would end up with an animal which would be exceptionally short-lived meaning that you would go through the same heartache again when they died. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/14 "2014-02-13T19:17:04Z")
I love Gordie, but why would I want another 46lbs. Jack Russell mutant? ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/15 "2014-02-13T19:21:29Z")
Oh hell no! I love my dog dearly but geeze-laweeze she is annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/16 "2014-02-13T21:02:23Z")
I don’t think I would but Guide Dogs, who owned her for the first six years of her life, would. She produced a lot of good Guides and two breeders, so I bet they’d like to give her another go around. Since she was the product of a selective breeding and rigorous training process, chances are the clone would be good also. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/17 "2014-02-13T21:08:04Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > When. WHEN he died. No wonder it was a frustrating conversation: basic facts were not in order. > > To answer the OP: no. For all the reasons everyone who’s already said the same has already shared. Hell, I wouldn’t want a clone of my beloved dead husband, let alone a dog or cat, even though they were all respectively the best dude, childhood dog, and kitteh this planet has ever known. “If” is appropriate in this context, because the owner could die before the dog. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/18 "2014-02-13T21:31:14Z")
This American Life had an interesting story in their first TV episode about a cloned Brahman bull. It didn’t turn out so well. If you can track it down, give it a watch: [http://www.thisamericanlife.org/tv-archives/season-one/reality-check](http://www.thisamericanlife.org/tv-archives/season-one/reality-check) They also had the story in their normal radio show (starts about half way though): > **[Reunited (And It Feels So Good) - This American Life](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/291/reunited-and-it-feels-so-good)** > > Stories about getting back together with your parent, your spouse, your ... Brahman bull. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/19 "2014-02-13T21:51:38Z")
wguy123 beat me to the link, and I absolutely agree with Blackberry. Not only are there countless other dogs out there that need to be rescued and I can provide a home for, but I would be worried that I would place unreasonable expectations on either Tilly2.0 or Toby2.0. I don’t like it when I get frustrated at them for misbehaving in ways they understand (as much as a dog understands), I’d hate to get frustrated at them for not behaving like their counterpart. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/21 "2014-02-13T22:57:18Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > wguy123 beat me to the link, and I absolutely agree with Blackberry. Not only are there countless other dogs out there that need to be rescued and I can provide a home for, but I would be worried that I would place unreasonable expectations on either Tilly2.0 or Toby2.0. Tilly and Toby are very cute pet names! If I ever get another male pet, I plan to name him Toby. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256.md?page=2)