Company offers dog clone to contest winner

MILL VALLEY, Calif., June 23 (UPI) -- A California company has announced it will give away a free dog cloning to the pet owner who best pleads their canine's case for immortality.

BioArts International of Mill Valley said it will accept submissions for the Golden Clone Giveaway in the form of 500-word essays submitted by 3 p.m. Tuesday, the New York Daily News reported Monday.

"Over the objections of our accountant, we have decided to give away one dog cloning slot to the family with the most 'clone-worthy' dog in the world," BioArts Chief Executive Officer Lou Hawthorne said.

He said the company decided to give away a cloning after it received multiple letters in response to its announcement of an auction that will give sell five dog clonings for minimum bids of $100,000.

Hawthorne said the letters were from "passionate dog owners who are upset that they cannot afford to participate."

"These e-mails describe some very special dogs, many of whom are nearing the end of their remarkable lives," he said.

BioArts announced in 2007 that a successful clone had been made of Hawthorne's deceased dog, Missy.