Laura Jacques and Richard Remde loved Dylan, their boxer. Like most dog owners, the British couple was heartbroken when Dylan died — a brain tumour claimed the 8-year-old pooch over the summer.
But unlike most animal lovers, instead of letting go, the grieving couple had their beloved pet cloned.
They forked out more than $137,000 extract the DNA of their dead dog. With the help of Sooam Biotech Research Foundation, they got their Christmas wish — clones of the dearly-departed Dylan.
Two puppies, born to two surrogate dogs, arrived on Dec. 26 and Dec. 28 in Seoul, South Korea. The company behind the feat lays claim to the world’s first dog clone in 2007.
The couple named their new pups Shadow and Chance. They also documented their unusual journey on Twitter.
Hello, I’m Dylan the #Boxer dog and I’ve got a bit of a story to tell you… pic.twitter.com/kL9ra6Jo4e
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 6, 2015
Sofa time was the best! pic.twitter.com/UDgOkqGkEo
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 7, 2015
Hi hi hi 😍😍🐾🐾 Find out why I’m so special on Monday. It’s going to be pawesome!! 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 pic.twitter.com/GrXw2EGtdh
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 20, 2015
Wonder if I’m going to be more famous than @justinbieber 😍🐾 pic.twitter.com/bGCSShmtZ1
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 20, 2015
Hmmm my news is getting closer. But isn’t quite ready yet. My humans are a little closer to the surprise though 😍😍 #🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 22, 2015
Total LAD flys to #SouthKorea & clones girlfriends dead dog after it died @TheLadBible – https://t.co/Ca38PSOtBu pic.twitter.com/cHUZwjO3Ug
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 23, 2015
Couple become first in #Britain to have dead dog #cloned to create puppies – @natonewman cc @PETA https://t.co/BadEUl3oln
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 23, 2015
DylanDog is gone gone, but we ARE him. We are the little CloneDogz. Please love us! https://t.co/OdkqabGVTL https://t.co/DBVnM2RLMw
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 23, 2015
#CHANCE & #SHADOW https://t.co/OdkqabGVTL https://t.co/DBVnM2RLMw We ARE Dylan . We are the little CloneDogz. Please love us! <3
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 24, 2015
Press release A first: Dog cloned using 12 days old DNA https://t.co/H7CA76ksKm pic.twitter.com/q3NDWygpRF
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 24, 2015
Hi, I’m Dylan Dog. I’m in Doggie Heaven now just waiting for my little clone babies to be born. ♥ Merry Christmas ♥ pic.twitter.com/001KLFlVkT
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 25, 2015
#MiracleChancePuppy and #MiracleShadowPuppy about to be born in South Korea now, I will keep you in the loop. DYLAN pic.twitter.com/JQBihbhaxJ
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 26, 2015
My first puppy #Chance just born in Seoul, South Korea https://t.co/Gf8N94RuWK
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 26, 2015
#PuppyLove The pack of humans that helped my #Chance get born Richard and Laura /w Dr Hwang Woo-Suk @SooamBiotech pic.twitter.com/Lz7Fer2YvL
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 26, 2015
#PuppyLove Second video of my cloned puppy #Chance moments after birth. https://t.co/Gf8N94RuWK pic.twitter.com/Xa76ZkZiDe
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 26, 2015
It took so many humans to help little Chance into the world 😍😍 pic.twitter.com/hPzdHrxPXZ
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 27, 2015
And they called it #PuppyLove https://t.co/C7CemnTiEo
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 26, 2015
#PuppyLove See? Here is my little ones on VIDEO in @guardian https://t.co/s8oXo653zm pic.twitter.com/gAIU3wjIxj
— Dylan Dog (@WeLovedDylan) December 29, 2015
