Peter Onruang wants his dogs "Wolfie" and "Bubble" to be reincarnated. (KTLA-TV / March 4, 2011) |
HOLLYWOOD (KTLA) -- His dog truly was his best friend, and now a Hollywood businessman has paid $310,000 to clone that dog and one other.
Peter Onruang says "Wolfie," a terrier-schnauzer mix, was more than just a pet to him.
Wolfie died two years ago, at age 15. But long before she and her sister, "Bubble," passed away, Onruang had plans to bring them back to life.
"I buried them at home," Onruang tells KTLA, "So, you know, I visit them. And when I'm there, I say, 'Hi, I'm making a new body for you.'"
Onruang found a South Korean biotechnology company called RNL Bio, a company that can and will clone animals.
Onruang saved his dogs' stem cells, then he started the website HollywoodPaintball.com, so he could earn and save the $310,000 the clonings would cost.
The new dogs should look identical to Wolfie and Bubble, and have similar dispositions.
The way the cloning process is done, Onruang may end up with several clones of each dog.
But Peter admits he's still not sure that they will be exactly the same.
"We don't know," he tells KTLA. "Would I like Wolfie and Bubble to be reincarnated? Of course."
Scientists cloned the first animal, a sheep named Dolly, in 1996 in Scotland. That project, and stem cell research in general, has raised ethical questions about where science should draw the line.
Another question is whether such advances could lead to a day when humans can be cloned. Onruang is one person who hopes that day will come.
"If I had an opportunity to clone myself, I'd do it right now," Onruang says. "Because it's me... I'm raising myself. I already know exactly my strengths and weaknesses. This person is gonna be the new and improved me, and would live the life I've always wanted to live."
For now, Onruang is encouraging people to get their pets cloned with his website, MyFriendAgain.com.
Peter Onruang says "Wolfie," a terrier-schnauzer mix, was more than just a pet to him.
Wolfie died two years ago, at age 15. But long before she and her sister, "Bubble," passed away, Onruang had plans to bring them back to life.
"I buried them at home," Onruang tells KTLA, "So, you know, I visit them. And when I'm there, I say, 'Hi, I'm making a new body for you.'"
Onruang found a South Korean biotechnology company called RNL Bio, a company that can and will clone animals.
Onruang saved his dogs' stem cells, then he started the website HollywoodPaintball.com, so he could earn and save the $310,000 the clonings would cost.
The new dogs should look identical to Wolfie and Bubble, and have similar dispositions.
The way the cloning process is done, Onruang may end up with several clones of each dog.
But Peter admits he's still not sure that they will be exactly the same.
"We don't know," he tells KTLA. "Would I like Wolfie and Bubble to be reincarnated? Of course."
Scientists cloned the first animal, a sheep named Dolly, in 1996 in Scotland. That project, and stem cell research in general, has raised ethical questions about where science should draw the line.
Another question is whether such advances could lead to a day when humans can be cloned. Onruang is one person who hopes that day will come.
"If I had an opportunity to clone myself, I'd do it right now," Onruang says. "Because it's me... I'm raising myself. I already know exactly my strengths and weaknesses. This person is gonna be the new and improved me, and would live the life I've always wanted to live."
For now, Onruang is encouraging people to get their pets cloned with his website, MyFriendAgain.com.
