Chinese woman brings back her dog with $22,000 pet clone

In a recent article, South China Morning Post highlights that a Chinese woman has sparked a heated debate on pet cloning after spending $22,000 to bring back her beloved dog through a controversial process that involves cloning with a skin sample. 

While animal cloning is legal in China, it must follow strict ethical guidelines, and companies offering cloning services must be qualified. Xu, from Hangzhou in eastern China, shared her experience with the media outlet Personage. She purchased a Doberman named Joker in 2011, who became her loyal companion and provided her with "an irreplaceable sense of security" during her time living alone.

Joker's health began to decline at the age of nine when it was diagnosed with malignant sarcoma. Despite the risks of anesthesia, the dog underwent surgery without sedation, enduring the pain calmly. When Joker turned 10, it developed heart problems, which required frequent visits to a Shanghai pet hospital. Sadly, in November 2022, Joker passed away from a heart attack at the age of 11.

Xu, devastated by the loss, shared, “Joker was my closest friend. It witnessed a decade of my life, from my studies to my career.” The grief left her with insomnia, a weakened immune system, and frequent illnesses.

With a background in the medical field, Xu had been following China’s pet cloning industry closely. In 2017, she consulted several cloning experts and ultimately decided to clone Joker. After paying the 160,000-yuan fee, a skin sample was taken, combined with an egg cell from another animal, and implanted into a surrogate mother.

Around a year later, Xu received confirmation of the successful cloning, and before the 2024 Lunar New Year, she picked up the cloned dog, named Little Joker. 

Xu observed many similarities between Little Joker and the original, including the same black spot near its nose, the love for stealing socks, and the shared gentle and obedient personality. However, Xu noted that Little Joker does not replace Joker’s place in her heart. "Caring for this new life helped me temporarily forget the pain of losing Joker," she said.

Xu views Little Joker as an independent life, not a replacement. She explained, "I lacked experience raising Joker and left many regrets. Little Joker gives me a second chance to love and care for it fully."

While some online users supported her decision, others raised concerns about the ethics of cloning. Xu assured that the surrogate dogs are well cared for by the cloning company, with some being adopted by pet lovers. One user remarked, "Cloning is not about bringing back the dead. It is a way to continue love," while another expressed concerns, suggesting that cloning may not be a healthy way to cope with grief.

By Naila Huseynova