Christian Morales, a 33-year-old from Spain, and his bulldog named Lola were inseparable.In fact, for those who have pets, they are often like their own children.
After Lola’s death, her genetic material was frozen with the intention of creating a clone.In an interview, Christian Morales said he wants to clone his dog Lola because, in his words, their story isn’t over yet.
Lola’s spine was broken in a road accident. Later, after undergoing surgery, she suffered a blood infection and died from pneumonia.Lola was 9 years old at the time.Christian’s home in Barcelona is full of Lola’s memories. She was like a family member.That’s why he wants to clone her. To him, it would feel as if Lola is present again in real life.
He knows it’s not the real Lola—it’s just her genes.But it would be like Lola’s daughter or twin sister, born in another time, who Lola never met.
In Marbella, in southern Spain, a lab (OVO Group Reproduction Company) has been cloning expensive horses for years.Now, for the first time in Europe, they are cloning dogs and cats.
The company’s CEO said:“They look almost the same. If the original dog was curious, the clone will also be curious.If the original was shy, the clone will be shy too. Of course, it’s a separate animal, but genetically, it’s almost identical.
That’s why it will behave almost the same.” Collecting tissue for cloning costs €2,500, and the full process costs €55,000.Many clients have chosen to clone their pets after they were near death or had just passed away.We help them get through or forget their pain caused by the great loss of their pet. If they can afford it, they can create a clone of their pet.But the question is: does cloning a pet really help someone forget their pain?
Psychologist Andres Martin doesn’t think so.He says:“You’re not really overcoming grief; you’re extending your relationship with your pet.A clone is always a biological experience, but consciousness and life stories cannot be replicated.So the pain of loss and the feelings remain the same.”
So far, 11 animals have been cloned in that lab.If you contact them, they will explain what cloning is and how they do it.But it is not a replacement for the real animal.
For these reasons, Christian has only chosen to preserve Lola’s genes.To him, it’s tempting but also an expensive process.That’s why he pays €500 a year to preserve Lola’s genes and believes that the cost may decrease over time.For now, he is still considering the decision.