The Kennel Club has criticised a Channel 4 programme - ‘The £60,000 Puppy: Cloning Man's Best Friend’ - to be screened tonight (Wednesday) for trivialising the issue.
The organisation is strongly against the principle of cloning as it jeopardises dog welfare and runs contrary to the Kennel Club’s objective to promote in every way the general improvement of dogs.
Kennel Club Secretary Caroline Kisko, said: “People may turn to cloning when faced with the loss of a beloved pet and the need to replicate the emotional bond they have with their dog but unfortunately this comes at a price and the price is the welfare implications involved in cloning.”
At the present time cloning involves invasive procedures, which include surgically implanting the embryo into the bitch used to carry the clone. Because of the poor success rates this procedure may be repeated multiple times, in many different bitches, in order to produce a successful outcome. Furthermore, the dog carrying the embryos will have to suffer the effects of unsuccessful pregnancies such as losing embryos and newborns.
Caroline continues: “It is important to remember that cloning can only replicate genetic material and cloned animals will most likely develop different personalities and be a very different dog to the dog that is cloned. In addition to this, there is a high probability of abnormality in the puppy if things go wrong.
“We are genuinely shocked at the concept of the competition and the trivialisation of this issue, as we believe most caring dog owners will be. The idea that the emotional bond with a dog that has passed away is being put above the welfare of the dog or dogs involved in producing the cloned pet is appalling. The ethics involved in this are undoubtedly questionable and we would urge people to take a stand against the practice.”
The Kennel Club is committed to supporting responsible dog breeding using traditional breeding practices and new initiatives such as Mate Select so that improvements can be made to ensure better health for future generations of dogs.
The one-off Channel 4 film follows a unique competition in which one lucky British dog owner wins the chance to have their beloved pooch cloned.
South Korean dog cloning company Sooam Biotech sell their services worldwide. But this is the first time they have marketed their dog cloning techniques in the UK, offering Britain's dog owners the chance to immortalise their canine best friend.
The programme featured an array of dog lovers, who couldn't bear to think of life without their four-legged friends. They invited the South Korean scientists into their homes to meet their dogs and prove why they deserved the chance to have their pet cloned.
The programme also explores the science of cloning and the ethical questions that surround it.
