# 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:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/22 "2014-02-14T00:00:39Z")
There is a part of me that wants a do-over with some of the dogs I’ve lost. I had an abused dog many years ago, and despite her scars and the mental damage done to her, she was a great dog, though always timid, and I would love to have a version of her that hadn’t had the heart kicked out of it by a previous owner. Another dog was just a super dog… smart and happy and loved everybody, especially kids. I would love to have another like her. I could go through all the dogs I’ve had and find something I would want to re-create, but having a cloned version? I don’t know that I would want that. My dogs are all so unique and special, if only to me, and I think I would prefer to just have the memories, rather than another version that may or not turn out the same way. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/23 "2014-02-14T00:01:59Z")
No. It wouldn’t be the same animal. Identical twins aren’t the same people x2, either, and that’s exactly what a clone would be. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_I\_Am](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Sam\_I\_Am](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_I_Am)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/24 "2014-02-14T00:13:49Z")
There’s no way I would want to do this to replace a dying pet. But I must admit I’d be very curious to introduce one of my current kitties to a clone of himself - the results could be quite amusing! ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/25 "2014-02-14T03:55:44Z")
> [@Sam\_I\_Am](#): > > There’s no way I would want to do this to replace a dying pet. > > But I must admit I’d be very curious to introduce one of my current kitties to a clone of himself - the results could be quite amusing! In what way? You have understood, have you, that cloned animals do _not_ look identical to their original (unless members of the relevant species all look the same to you anyway), and there is little reason to expect them to have a similar personality, as their life experience will have been quite different. Also, of course, the clone will be a lot younger than the original. You would merely be introducing your cat to a kitten of the same general type. ---
**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 14, 2014, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256/26 "2014-02-14T09:34:20Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > 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. I don’t know about that, my uncle had a border collie working sheepdog who was the evilest meanest son-of-a-bitch you ever met, his granddaughter on the other hand was an absolute sweetheart. Two very different personalities and related not just of the same breed. > [@Octarine](#): > > Having a genetically identical copy of a beloved pet that has a different personality would be . . . strange. I hadn’t thought of that, yes that would be rather odd. > [@steronz](#): > > But did she honestly think that the clone would have the same _memories?_ She basically thought it would be the same dog. Thanks for the answers everyone! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-a-clone-of-your-pet/681256.md?page=1)