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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Nicola Davis Science correspondent

Meet Gem the cocker spaniel – the face of UK pet cloning

Lucy Morgan United Kingdom Gemini ViaGen United States Shropshire
Gem, a cloned spaniel, at Gemini Genetics in Whitchurch, Shropshire, thought to be the only firm in Europe helping pet owners create genetic duplicates of their animals.
Gem, a cloned spaniel, at Gemini Genetics in Whitchurch, Shropshire, thought to be the only firm in Europe helping pet owners create genetic duplicates of their animals. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

At first glance, Gem is simply a very happy spaniel. With a plush toy in her mouth, she is the embodiment of joy. But her straightforward demeanour belies the complexities of her origins. Because Gem is not your typical dog: she is a clone.

Ever since Dolly the sheep – the first mammal to be cloned using an adult cell – was revealed to the world in 1996, debate has raged over the potential for the technology and its ethical implications.

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