Cloning controversy: Boca Raton woman makes a double of her dog

Clone has personality, mannerisms of original

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Posted: 08/03/2012

By: Marissa Bagg

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Everything about three-year-old Lancey is familiar to Nina Otto. She's seen it all before.

"My original Lancelot always crossed his front paws and Lancey at 3 months, he did it too," says Nina Otto.

Lancey isn't a chip off the old block, he is the old block! He's a clone of Lancelot, Nina's beloved Labrador who died in 2008. Nina had Lancelot's DNA frozen and sent to a South Korean research firm that specializes in dog cloning.

"They clear out the DNA of an egg, put in Lancelot's frozen DNA and zap it, put it in a surrogate mother," says Nina Otto.

The cost? $155,000.

Cloning remains controversial, and some animal advocacy groups say there's no need. There are already plenty of rescue dogs who need homes. Nina says she understands that, and doesn't plan to clone again.

"I know people think you're fooling with God, but if God didn't want it to happen, he wouldn't let it," says Nina Otto.

Content with her scientific marvel, Nina took it to another level. She contacted a breeder, and made the clone a dad.

"My first instinct was I don't think clones can have puppies, or if I want cloned dogs to have puppies," says Leigh Green, who helped Nina breed Lancey.

Turns out each of the eight puppies are healthy, and quickly finding new homes. One of which is Nina's.

"To get the opportunity again and to have his puppies running around it's amazing."

In a sense, Lancelot is reproducing even after death.