Influencers are cloning their pets to continue their ‘bloodline’ and ‘legacy
Today
Many pet owners have taken to social media to share photos of their dogs, but some have discovered a way to keep their pets with them even longer by cloning them.
Courtney Udvar-Hazy has a wolf puppy named Phoenix that resembles her late companion, Willow, who died four years ago after being hit by a car.
Willow's veterinarian took a skin sample after she died to use in a procedure similar to IVF that includes growing a cloned embryo in the uterus of a surrogate dog. Willow's clones were born nine months later.
Willow was a one-of-a-kind individual. She was the dog of my dreams. Udvar-Hazy told TODAY, I wanted her bloodline and legacy to continue.
Phoenix and Willow are not the same animal, although they are genetically identical twins.
Udvar-Hazy commented, I went into it with no expectations. It would be comparable to identical twins in humans, I knew. A very different animal with a completely distinct soul and mentality, but they are genetically same.
Cloning animals comes at a high cost. Cats cost around $35,000, dogs $50,000, and horses cost around $85,000. Even just storing cells can cost a few hundred dollars each year.
However, for some people, the cost is justified. After her cat, Chai, died unexpectedly at a young age, Kelly Anderson cloned him and posted it on her social media account. It took nearly four years to complete the process.
ViaGen Pets & Equine is a cloning company situated in Texas that works with cats, dogs, and horses. Since 2015, it has cloned over a thousand animals and expects more influencers to join the trend.
ViaGen client service manager Melain Rodriguez told TODAY that only a few of their clients have a social media presence. That is unquestionably going to expand.
Cloning animals comes at a high cost. Cats cost around $35,000, dogs $50,000, and horses cost around $85,000. Even just storing cells can cost a few hundred dollars each year.
However, for some people, the cost is justified. After her cat, Chai, died unexpectedly at a young age, Kelly Anderson cloned him and posted it on her social media account. It took nearly four years to complete the process.
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