China’s 1st commercial cloning firm makes and sells rare dog breed for millions of dollars

Breeding is such an archaic way to manufacture dogs. Why not just clone them? According to state-run news agency Xinhua, a new joint venture in China aims to do just that with one of the world’s most expensive canine breeds, Tibetan mastiffs.

China’s Boya Life (not to be confused with video game developer Boyaa Interactive) and Korea’s Sooam Biotech Research Foundation have set up China’s first ever commercial cloning company. It has already created three pure-blooded puppies that were born to a surrogate mother. Prior to establishing the new company, all cloning in China were limited to research purposes.

You might say that there’s no money in such a venture because cloning is an extremely costly process. You’d be wrong.

The giant balls of fur are beloved by China’s extremely wealthy, who pay hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars for a single dog. Tibetan mastiffs were originally bred by shepherds to watch over flocks of livestock in Tibet.

These cloned versions are carbon copies of an award-winning Tibetan Mastiff named Jiama, who is now eight years old.

In case you were wondering, China is taking steps toward cloning giant pandas. But since rich people aren’t allowed to buy them, it’s taking a bit longer.

(Source: Xinhua; top image via Wikipedia)