I Cloned My Dead Dog

#1 Dylan Had A Terminal Illness

His owners Laura and Richard were told that he would only live for a short time after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and kidney disease.

#2 They Knew They Wanted Him At Home

The couple who had adopted Dylan as a puppy could not bare to see their baby die in pain, but they knew they wanted him to come home with them to die in his own surroundings and with people who cared about him.

#3 They Decided To Freeze His Body

After discussing cryogenics with the vet, the couple was told that they could consider having Dylan frozen but it was not recommended. Unable to decide as quickly as needed, they arranged for Dylan to go home for his final days. It was during this time that they were given an option of cloning, something that seemed like an impossible science fiction fantasy.

#4 They Called Sooam Biotech To Discuss Te Options

They were told by Sooam Biotech Research Foundation that they could clone Dylan for roughly $86,000. But they provided Laura and Richard the same option of freezing the pet until they could make a final decision since the dog would need to be cloned before his disease killed his cells.

#5 They Could Freeze The Cells Until Ready

Scientists at Sooam told Laura that they would freeze Dylan's cells and keep them until the couple chose to go forward with the experimental cloning technique. The researchers sent them a kit with instructions on how to collect their dogs DNA samples properly. They were required to use only certain types of vials and instruments and had only five days to get the DNA samples to South Korea before they became unusable.

#6 The Samples Arrived Late

Afer shaving the dog and following the instructions, Laura and Richard sent the samples off, but they arrived late, causing some issues with the cells growing properly. They were sent emails by the lab telling them that they had progressed, but the cells would not grow as they had believed.

#7 After Several Weeks

The couple received a phone call telling them that the cells had attached and began to grow. They were told that it was a scientific breakthrough and it had never been done before. They were told that if everything progressed as planned the experiment would be a success.

#8 Thirty-One Days Later

Laura and Richard received word from Sooam Biotech that two pregnancies had come from the DNA samples. The pair flew from the UK to South Korea for the birth of the dogs. "It was like a miracle" Laura said. "It was surreal and emotional," Richard added.

#9 The Newborn Pups Looked Exactly Like Dylan

They all the same markings in the same places and they were only a few minutes old. "I was expecting them to look younger and not as formed or something," Laura said about the puppies. "Being part of this scientific breakthrough is like once in a lifetime."

So would you clone your pet?