Puppies cloned for cash in South Korea

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Five clones of a California woman's dead pit bull terrier were born in a laboratory in South Korea, scientists said Tuesday.

Bernann McKinney, whose beloved Booger died in 2006, paid $50,000 for the cloned puppies, the Financial Times said. The puppies were born last week.

"I can't believe it – we've got five Boogers. I am so happy," Ms McKinney told RNL Bio, the South Korean company that produced the pooches, the product of the world's first commercial order for a cloned dog.

Ra Jeong-chan, president of RNL Bio, told the Financial Times the company implanted 78 embryos into five surrogate mothers. Four puppies were born to one mother and one puppy was produced by the other.

RNL produced the clones in conjunction with Seoul National University scientists who made the world's first cloned dog in 2005.

The Times of London said McKinney claimed Booger saved her life when she was attacked by a much larger dog. She said Booger then served as her guide dog while she recovered from her horrendous injuries.