Thanks to my pals at NYC Sniff, I was turned on to an article about a Japanese man that cloned his dog. The Labrador Retriever named Marine is the star pooch at a Cancer Sniffing Dog training center but is unable to reproduce.

The article is very interesting, and from there I found a San Francisco based company called Best Friends Again that is in the business of cloning pet dogs. My immediate thought was that this is insane. Right? Why would you clone a dog when there are so many needy dogs in shelters? But then I began to consider whether or not I would turn down the opportunity to clone Charleston. I have to admit that I think I would do it.

I understand that it wouldn’t be the exact same dog, and it would feel “Pet Sematary” creepy if it was. But is cloning him so different from breeding him? It’s passing on dna that is proven to make a happy, sweet, joyful dog.

As it happens, Best Friends Again is holding a contest and the winning prize is a free cloning. That sounds so “Blade Runner,” but I am considering entering.

I don’t want to start a fight over religion or right and wrong. But I am interested to hear arguments from people who can imagine what they would do were they in my position. Would you try to clone your dog?