Scientist from South Korean tech firm Sooam Biotech has produced the first cloned dog.
The tiny dachshund puppywas born in Seoul, South Korea, at the end of last month following a competition advertised in the UK offering the procedure free of charge. The dog was copied from a 12-year-old pet called Winnie, owned by Rebecca Smith, a cook from west London. Rebecca said: “We Brits do have a close attachment to our dogs, so it is exciting. My sausage dog is very special but she is 12 and not going to be around forever”.
At the weekend the puppy met her elderly double for the first time, and while they are not identical – Winnie naturally shows the signs of ageing – the resemblance between the two was clear to see.
Rebecca added: 'I want Winnie to know how important she is, which is why we've had her cloned.'
Miss Smith says Mini-Winnie has been given a clean bill of health and should live to the average age of a dachshund, 15 years.