Recently in Cloning Category

Here's a story that makes me rethink my antipathy to animal cloning. With all the dogs and cats in shelters, it's foolish and just plain cruel to make copies of them.

But what about if an animal has particularly standout genes? What about a dog that can help rescue people because of its amazing ability to sniff?

A California company plans to clone a dog that helped rescue people trapped in the World Trade Center after the 9-11 attack. The ethics of it all make my head spin.

Trakr, a German shepherd who lives with his owner James Symington in Los Angeles, was picked by BioArts International as the most "clone-worthy" canine in a competition offering an owner a free chance to replicate their pet.

Symington said he and Trakr were among the first search and rescue teams to arrive at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks, and were responsible for locating the last human survivor under about 30 feet (nine meters) of debris.

Now aged 15, the dog no longer has use of his back legs due to a degenerative neurological disorder. According to BioArts, experts believe the condition may be linked to exposure to toxic smoke at the World Trade Center site.