Woman Spends $50,000 and Loses Her House So She Can Clone Her Dog

Five puppies born from the skin cells of “Booger” the pit bull terrier made their debut as the first ever commercially cloned pets at the Seoul National University in Korea this week.

“Booger,” who died in April 2006, belonged to California resident Bernann McKinney. McKinney, who rescued Booger 12 years ago, said the dog had become an indispensable part of her life and that she chose to have Booger cloned because “losing a pet is a terrible, terrible loss to anyone.”

The five puppies, whose names all contain the word “Booger,” cost McKinney $50,000, which she sold her house to raise.

While I know the loss of a pet is devastating, I hope I’m not the only one who thinks this story is, to be kind, stupid. $50,000 and your house, for puppies? Especially given that while the animals may be physically identical their personalities are not.

Of course it’s her money and her life to do with as she pleases, but I can’t help but think of how many other existing dogs in shelters (where she got Booger in the first place!) could have been helped with that much money.