Every pet owner loves his pet.
Every
pet
owner
loves
his
pet
.
There is no argument here.
There
is
no
argument
here
.
But when we asked our readers whether they would clone their beloved animals, the responses were split almost down the middle.
But
when
we
asked
our
readers
whether
they
would
clone
their
beloved
animals
,
the
responses
were
split
almost
down
the
middle
.
Of the 228 readers who answered it,108 would clone, 111 would not and nine weighed each side without offering an opinion.
Of
the
228
readers
who
answered
it
,108
would
clone
,
111
would
not
and
nine
weighed
each
side
without
offering
an
opinion
.
Clearly, from readers' response, this is an issue that reaches deeply into both the joy and eventual sadness of owning a pet.
Clearly
,
from
readers
'
response
,
this
is
an
issue
that
reaches
deeply
into
both
the
joy
and
eventual
sadness
of
owning
a
pet
.
It speaks, as well, to people's widely differing expectations over the developing scientific procedure
It
speaks
,
as
well
,
to
people
's
widely
differing
expectations
over
the
developing
scientific
procedure
Most of the readers who favored the idea strongly believed it would produce at least a close copy of the original; many felt the process would actually return an exact copy.
Most
of
the
readers
who
favored
the
idea
strongly
believed
it
would
produce
at
least
a
close
copy
of
the
original
;
many
felt
the
process
would
actually
return
an
exact
copy
.
Those on the other side, however, held little hope that clone could truly recreate a pet; many simply did not wish to go against the natural law of life and death.
Those
on
the
other
side
,
however
,
held
little
hope
that
clone
could
truly
recreate
a
pet
;
many
simply
did
not
wish
to
go
against
the
natural
law
of
life
and
death
.
Both sides expressed equal love for their animals.
Both
sides
expressed
equal
love
for
their
animals
.
More of them owned "the best dog/cat in the world".
More
of
them
owned
``
the
best
dog/cat
in
the
world
''
.
They thought of their pets as their "best friend" or "a member of the family".
They
thought
of
their
pets
as
their
``
best
friend
''
or
``
a
member
of
the
family
''
.
They told moving stories of pets' heroism, intelligence and selfless devotion.
They
told
moving
stories
of
pets
'
heroism
,
intelligence
and
selfless
devotion
.
No wonder the loss is so disturbing---and the cloning so attractive.
No
wonder
the
loss
is
so
disturbing
--
-and
the
cloning
so
attractive
.
"People become very close to their animals, and the loss can be just as hard to bear as when a friend or family member dies," says Gary Kowalski, author of goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet.
``
People
become
very
close
to
their
animals
,
and
the
loss
can
be
just
as
hard
to
bear
as
when
a
friend
or
family
member
dies
,
''
says
Gary
Kowalski
,
author
of
goodbye
,
Friend
:
Healing
Wisdom
for
Anyone
Who
Has
Ever
Lost
a
Pet
.
"For me, cloning feels like an attempt to turn death away...It's understandable.
``
For
me
,
cloning
feels
like
an
attempt
to
turn
death
away
...
It
's
understandable
.
Death is always painful.
Death
is
always
painful
.
It's difficult to deal with.
It
's
difficult
to
deal
with
.
It's hard to accept."
It
's
hard
to
accept
.
''
But would cloning reduce the blow?
But
would
cloning
reduce
the
blow
?
This question seems to be at the heart of this problem.
This
question
seems
to
be
at
the
heart
of
this
problem
.
Every pet owner loves his pet. There is no argument here.  But when we asked our readers whether they would clone their beloved animals, the responses were split almost down the middle. Of the 228 readers who answered it,108 would clone, 111 would not and nine weighed each side without offering an opinion.  Clearly, from readers' response, this is an issue that reaches deeply into both the joy and eventual sadness of owning a pet. It speaks, as well, to people's widely differing expectations over the developing scientific procedure  Most of the readers who favored the idea strongly believed it would produce at least a close copy of the original; many felt the process would actually return an exact copy. Those on the other side, however, held little hope that clone could truly recreate a pet; many simply did not wish to go against the natural law of life and death.  Both sides expressed equal love for their animals. More of them owned "the best dog/cat in the world". They thought of their pets as their "best friend" or "a member of the family". They told moving stories of pets' heroism, intelligence and selfless devotion.  No wonder the loss is so disturbing---and the cloning so attractive. "People become very close to their animals, and the loss can be just as hard to bear as when a friend or family member dies," says Gary Kowalski, author of goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet. "For me, cloning feels like an attempt to turn death away...It's understandable. Death is always painful. It's difficult to deal with. It's hard to accept."  But would cloning reduce the blow? This question seems to be at the heart of this problem.