Bringing Back Bobo: The Emotional and Ethical Dilemma of Pet Cloning

In China, the grieving owners of Bobo, a beloved dog, opted for an unconventional path to cope with their loss—cloning. Fu Meijiao and Liu Jingtao spent a considerable sum, S$64,000, to bring back their companion through Sinogene Biotechnology, a company that boasts an impressive record of cloning over 100 pets annually. \"People are becoming more accepting of cloning,\" claims CEO Mi Jidong. However, the process isn't without its challenges. Some owners have reported unexpected behavioral changes in their cloned pets, including anxiety and fear. Hank Greely, director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford Law School, provides a crucial perspective: \"All identical twins are clones. If you've ever known identical twins, you know they're not the same person due to experiences before or after birth.\" The story of Bobo's cloning highlights the growing trend of pet cloning and the complex emotional and ethical considerations involved.