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BELOVED DOG AND
DEVOTED MASTER
A very interesting account of one
man’s continuing story to have Isis, his beloved dog, cloned is outlined in
the exchange of letters below. This
man’s effort to have his dog cloned is a less dramatic but probably a
more realistic and feasible effort than that detailed in “Sacred
Cloning and Beloved Cats”. I have
entitled it: “BELOVED DOG AND DEVOTED MASTER”
From:
Adam Goldstein <whitewlf@whitewlf.net>
Date:
Saturday, November 11, 2000 8:53 PM
To:
Graeme Sloan <dnastorage@optusnet.com.au>
Cc:
Gregory Pence <gregorypence@hotmail.com>; rwicker <r.wicker@verizon.net>;
Jasper Rine
<jrine@uclink4.berkeley.edu>; ShaunaCutl@aol.com <ShaunaCutl@aol.com>
Subject:
Re: Urgent request....
I thought I would update those who have been
so kind to respond to me. I appreciate every kind word you have all said, and,
though I know nothing will truly console me but time and love, I do have a small
hope that some time in the possibly near future, that Isis, my best friend in
the world, who has been with me since I was 19 from Florida to Alaska and
back to Boston over the years, will have one gift we can give to each other...
In my searches I found a small, genetics oriented company called
perpetuation...(http://www.perpetuation.com)
who are bold enough to try to help people like me who believe that human
technology, innovation and hopefully wisdom will make it possible to one day be
able to bring a clone of your beloved pet into the world.
Yes, it is not the pet I lost.... but, it -is- a part of him/her and is
something so special that going through the pain and expense of the cloning
process is perhaps justified. I never got a chance to breed Isis...I know she
would have loved to be a mother to her own pups, though she was like a mother to
my now 4 year old son. This is a way that -maybe- there will be a chance for
part of her to be in his life again, and mine.
The fellow at perpetuation, Ron Gillespie, just happened to be local to me, and,
willing to try, even though the cells were possibly frozen, and, she has been
gone for a short while. The vet at my clinic was able to perform the procedure,
though I think he is still a little perplexed at the idea. And I was able to
transport it to Worchester swiftly, where one of the doctors is now trying to
cultivate a live cellular sample to type and freeze in cryostats.
Though the cultivation may not be successful, they have good hope...they have
done it with worse. Their lab is one of a few directly involved with some other
successful cloning attempts, including some Holstein calves. I can only have
faith that the technology and some kind spirit will allow this to one day bring
a miracle. Yet, I still have to wait 1-2 weeks to know for sure if the cells
will be viable.
The cultivation, typing and storage of the cells is, apparently, quite an
advanced system, and, looks like it is becoming a mature part of the
process...The cloning, however, is still some years behind, but, so long as the
cells are viable and preserved in what is apparently nearly 0 Kelvin, the future
can wait, and may come.
I hope that as a side spring of this technology, those others may benefit from
its applications, in particular those needing transplants and other such
miracles. Some may say that this is a misuse of the technology, but only with
time and maturity of these types of technologies is there un-foreseen advances
that may benefit other realms. I believe we can do this, and, I believe it can
be done responsibly.
Thank you all again... I will let you know, if you wish, the outcome of the
cultivation in a week or two...and, again, if I can retain the addresses, of any
outcome from cloning in the years ahead, if things go as well as I hope and pray
they will. I will also have a remembrance page set up for Isis on my server,
with pictures of her and stories. It may take some time to setup - the thoughts
are crushing me, and I still am unable to fully accept her loss.
http://whitewlf.net/isis
Adam Goldstein
White Wolf Networks
From:
Adam Goldstein <whitewlf@whitewlf.net>
Date:
Monday, November 13, 2000 12:17 AM
To:
rwicker <r.wicker@verizon.net>
Subject:
Re: Urgent request. Some additional info...
At the
moment, I'm settling into the cold, hard facts of Isis' departure... I'm running
mostly on autopilot for work and general household stuff, but, I burst into
tears for at least 1-2 minutes a couple dozen times a day, sometimes (mostly
when I am just about to go to sleep or have a serious moment alone) I lose my
hold and cry like a little girl.... it's as disturbing as it is comforting.
Unlike most pet owners, though agreeably some are as attached as I...I assume, I
am inseparably attached to Isis... I cannot describe it, I cannot express it...
I've lost a deep and important par t of me... we spent nearly every day
together in some way. We’ve never
been apart for more than 2-3 days...in just over eleven years... she
went everywhere with me for a long time, but recently she's seemed happier to
stay home, sleeping or lazing about on the couch...but, she -always- loved to go
out with me...
Since I moved back to Mass, however, and my son, Valen (now 4) was born, and
I've bought a house and have a rather unstable relationship with his mother...
Isis (and Bart, called "Boo Boo" because it is more soothing sounding
to him) have not been everywhere with me... and Isis hasn't been able to sleep
in the bedroom as it's upstairs and she has/d two hyper extended knees and a
little over weight... again, my fault for being so busy or distracted with
things and not exercising myself enough to keep her fit...
I felt a lump in her belly, and brought her to the vet because she was peeing in
the house and showing some signs of blood in her urine... the vet could not find
the lump, I gave him a urine sample I collected before bringing her in, and
he put her on amoxacilin. He was more concerned about her knees than anything
else, and the lump was chalked up to my "imagination"... they
took x-rays of her knees and hip the next day. I refused tranquilizers for her,
and said if she can't be x-rayed with out them, then don't... she was a
sweetheart, as usual, and they took pictures... we started considering the
surgery over the weekend..
She was getting better... looking better... acting spry... then, wed. Morning
after elections, I woke up a little late, and went to let everyone out (3 dogs,
Isis, Bart and Maija) and she didn't move. She had passed away, on the floor in
front of her favorite spot on the couch... she was cold and stiff... and I
nearly lost my mind... I see that picture in my mind 40-100 times a day... I
keep wondering what happened. If I could have done something... Why?
The vet has no answers... i told him not to desecrate her, just noninvasive
(X-rays, etc) and I just tried to deal... he told me later Wednesday eve.
That she had the "growth" between her gall bladder and intestines.. it
couldn't say what it was... it drew no blood by needle... he says she did not
seem to choke or swallow anything or eat anything to cause this... it's just a
mystery.. I'm not satisfied, but what else do I do?
On Friday I decided to actually seriously consider the cloning option... I told
myself that, maybe it will happen one day, maybe it won't... in any case, i
can't decide right this minute about the validity of the final outcome, but, I'd
be regretting it in years to come if I had the opportunity and did not take it
at that last moment, when I had the chance... So, I sent the emails as I
searched the net, and, then came across the PerPETuate site by total, random
chance...it was the 18-20th email, and, the only real site... I
called, left a message, and he called me back within 30 minutes. He then called
the vet, set up the biopsy and I rushed it to him and saw the lab environment
there.
Unfortunately that is all I know at the moment... I am unable to really deal
with things yet, and, still need to somehow arrange funeral decisions
tomorrow...I believe I will cremate her and take her ashes back to Alaska in the
future, and spread most out from a mountain top over Anchorage...
As for press... I don't know... right now only the people I sent the email to on
the net, the Vet, PerPETuate and my best friend know about this... not my son,
his other, or my father... they only know she passed away...and none of them
have a clue how much it hurts me... perhaps if the cells are viable, and
Isis is laid to rest, and I have some sort of composure, I would... I will know
in 1-2 weeks, I suppose.
Thank you for your encouragement... Not everyone I emailed was as encouraging...
Adam Goldstein
White Wolf Networks
from
Jasper Rine:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dear Adam,
In the next 50 years, it will be all but impossible to clone an animal just from
a DNA sample. You would need a living cell from which you could get an
intact nucleus at the very least.
Although as a scientist, I would be hard pressed to say that something is
impossible, I cannot imagine being able to successfully do what you propose. If
your dog has been dead for more than a few hours, in my opinion, you really
don't have a realistic chance.
You obviously loved your dog deeply; a new dog would surely appreciate you love
and return it fully.
Sorry to paint such a bleak picture.
I hope he is wrong...
Jasper
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
rwicker wrote:
Thank you for your update. I wish you success. However, you
should read Ian Wilmut's latest book "The Second Creation". He
is a dimwit in many ways. Don't buy the book unless "heavy
science" is your fascination. However, I hope you got the entire "Max
Reincarnated" article from Wired News. They haven't been able to clone
Missy because they simply don't know that much about canine reproductive cycles.
Would you be willing to talk to media people about your dream of cloning Isis?
Also, let me share with you one of the most remarkable and crazy stories I have
ever received from someone desiring to clone a pet. I will try to email it as an
attachment.
Cloningly yours,
Randolfe H. Wicker
From:
White Wolf <whitewlf@whitewlf.net>
Date:
Tuesday, November 28, 2000 2:32 AM
To:
rwicker <r.wicker@verizon.net>
Subject:
Re: Request to print your series of communications and update
I received a call from Ron at PerPETuate the other
day, and he says the sample was viable... They are growing, and, will have
enough soon to type and store. It's a great feeling of relief, though; it has
made me focus back to Isis, and her final arrangements. Bart is still wearing
her collar in honor of her, and both dogs are respecting her spot on the couch.
I leave a blanket there, and a small wolf puppet that my son loves to sleep with
resting on it. I still can't help but start to choke up each time I see her
picture on the mantle... her eyes staring at me, caught in the gaze that she was
so well known for... blue, deep and intelligent.
I've been very backlogged from work recently, so, I have not made the time yet
to scan my photos (a very emotional job, I am sure...thus the extra
procrastination)....
I was also very impressed by your stories online.
You can use the letters I sent you... and, if I weren’t so tired at the
moment, I would likely write another one.
If you haven't yet seen the new Swarzenegger movie, Sixth Day, and you enjoy
science fiction movies, you should go...Be prepared that it involves cloning
pets, but, they take things one step beyond by using "blanks" i.e.
fully grown embryos, and, transfer the "memories" between clones.. not
very realistic, and, it will have the general un-informed public confused as
usual... although, it was a good movie none the less...One interesting note was
that I saw an interview with Arnold a few days ago in which he spoke of the
cloning, and how they had to change the script several times to keep ahead of
the current cloning and related science fact...he also expressed interest and an
approval of cloning.
Thank you for your kind words, and your inspiration.. I will write again
shortly. I will also have the site up shortly as well; slowly at first.
Adam Goldstein
White Wolf Networks
rwicker wrote:
I have my own web site. Under "personalizing the
issues" you will find one story called "Sacred Cloning and Beloved
Cats". I was wondering if it would be o.k. to print your two letters
to me, especially with the update. I
thought a "Beloved's Master Lament" (or suggest any title you like)
would be a nice addition since cloning of pets comes in a close second to
cloning lost children. I typed in your web site address and nothing came
up. Have you dropped the idea of a web site?
Your story is much more "down to Earth" and
scientific as opposed to the incredible adventures if those two Italian women
who mix spirituality with a futile effort to clone decayed DNA. For that
reason, I would like to just print the stuff from my files of have you send me a
story of your efforts to clone Isis.
Cloningly yours,
Randolfe (just call me 'Randy') Wicker
I can be reached at 212-255-1439 between 3 and 8 pm
EST every day. My computer person is only here a few hours a week.
He will be here tomorrow. If you have trouble getting through on the Clone
Rights United Front line, call my business number (ten feet away) 212-929-3632.
They will answer and say 'Uplift Lighting".
Hope you get this in time because I would like to
have a "dog" story on the site. I am a "dog person" as
you can tell reading my story about my little precious Koo-ee who is now
pressing 15 years of age with mammary tumors, etc., which the vet tells me, will
ultimately cause us to "decide to intervene". Not a nice
experience.
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