Inside the UK’s Pet Cloning Craze: Desperate Brits Shell Out £50k to Bring ‘Zombie Dogs’ Back to Life—Plus, TV Star Shows Off Her Replica Twins!

Table of Contents

1. The Grief of Losing a Pet
2. Cloning and Its Legal Status in the UK
3. Case Studies of Cloned Pets
4. The Cloning Process Explained
5. Ethical Concerns Surrounding Cloning

Anyone who has lost a cherished pet understands the profound sorrow it brings – and how one would do anything to have them back.

However, while cloning is currently prohibited in the UK, an increasing number of British pet owners are preserving samples of their beloved animals in advanced laboratories in anticipation of a potential revival – often spending thousands in the process.

British magician Piff The Magic Dragon enhanced his act with three cloned dogsCredit: supplied The magician cloned these pets from his original dog, Mr. PifflesCredit: supplied Paris Hilton cloned her Chihuahua, Diamond BabyCredit: GC Images British Laura Jacques was among the first to clone a pet, seen here with Dylan, the boxer who passed away from a brain tumorCredit: PA:Press Association

Laboratories can collect and preserve the cells necessary for cloning animals in the US, which can then be imported back to the UK.

A British couple, Laura Jacques and Richard Remde from Silsden, West Yorkshire, faced a heart-wrenching situation when their boxer, Dylan, died in 2015.

Richard, a father of two, witnessed Laura's devastation and placed the dog’s body in the freezer to preserve it until they could bury him at their new home.

He contacted a pioneering South Korean veterinarian researcher who successfully cloned the first dog, Snuppy, in 2005.

The lab initially told him it was impossible because Dylan had been deceased for two weeks, but Richard persisted and convinced them to make an attempt – for a significant fee of $10,000.

He hired a retired vet to collect skin samples and personally flew to deliver them. To the astonishment of the scientific community, the lab successfully created two clones, Shadow and Chance.

A British magician is also engaging in this practice.

John Van Der Put, who performs as Piff the Magic Dragon, is currently working with three cloned offspring of his late sidekick, a Chihuahua named Mr. Piffles.

The first clone, named Fortune “because he cost me a fortune,” quickly took over for his predecessor, who had been by John’s side on stage for 15 years.

Now, John, who appeared on America’s Got Talent in 2015, has spent another £50,000 on two additional identical dogs, allowing him to double his work opportunities and minimize travel for each pet.

Scientists utilized genetic samples from Mr. Piffles to create twins Fival and Six Pack, which were later born via a surrogate.

John remarked: “It’s not exactly the same as having Piffles on stage, but he lives on in these three dogs.

“I realized I couldn’t make Piffles live forever, so I opted for cloning. It has been an incredible experience.

“They all resemble Piffles, seem to have inherited his natural showbiz charm, yet still possess their unique personalities.

“After the success of the first clone, we wanted Fortune to have an understudy and didn’t want him to perform every single show alone, which would require extensive travel.”

We’ve made Vegas history with the first cloned entertainer on the Strip

John Van Der Put

“So we cloned again for $60,000 and got twins. I saved money and doubled my workforce.”

In the US, many social media influencers are now opting to clone their dogs, creating identical replicas of their original pets to maintain their profitable businesses.

Courtney Udvar-Hazy cloned her dog Willow after the successful pooch was struck by a car four years ago.

She had established a lucrative brand, Wander With Willow , which boasts 2.5 million followers on Instagram, and now continues with Phoenix, one of six identical clones produced from Willow’s skin tissue.

Courtney, a 32-year-old photographer, monetizes her account through sponsorships and a variety of merchandise, including $80 hood