The latest thing designer Diane von Fürstenberg has done -which has nothing specifically to do with fashion- has made the news immediately.
The fact is that the world-famous Belgian designer Diane Von Fürstenberg and her husband, billionaire Barry Diller, have cloned their little dog Shannon.
Shannon is (or was) a Jack Russell whom Diane and Barry apparently spoil (or spoiled) thoroughly. Shannon lives (or lived) in a large neoclassical-style doghouse and features (or featured) in many of the snapshots the designer posts on her Instagram. To the couple, Shannon is (or was) like their daughter.
We speak in the present and past tense because it is not known what happened to Shannon after the cloning. Diller's representative has confirmed that the cloning was carried out, but has not provided details about Shannon's condition or who carried out “the operation”.
All that is known is that the decision to clone her into two new puppies was due to the health problems the little dog was experiencing. It is also known that a Korean company (whose name is unknown) handled the cloning process and implanted Shannon's DNA into two new eggs. The circumstances under which the cloning took place and when it occurred are also unknown. However, the cost of the operation has been revealed: 90,000 euros.
Little is known about the two replicas of Shannon, beyond the fact that they are called Deena and Evita. They have been seen scampering around the couple and in several photos the designer has shared on Instagram. Judging by appearances, they are not exactly identical to their mother, or even to each other, but there is no doubt that they have the fun-loving, restless, and playful spirit of Jack Russells.
Beyond judgments and criticism, it is clear above all that this couple feels true love for their pets. Something that is undoubtedly commendable. And, as they are famous people, it is very useful for spreading the animal-awareness message that matters so much to us. A love that knows no fashion, because as can be seen in this photo, even when she was young, Diane could not resist posing with her furry friends.
Regarding pet cloning, a little more has been learned thanks to information provided by another couple who, faced with their bulldog's terminal illness, decided to clone him. For this, they paid 70,000 euros.
Laura Jacques and Richard Remde, who are British, explain that the process is based on extracting part of the animal's tissue, from which cells are obtained. If these are confirmed to be viable, a breed with a similar ovulation period is selected to serve as an egg donor. The oocyte is enucleated (its genetic material is removed and replaced with that of the animal to be cloned), and the embryo is transferred to the “mother”. This process takes approximately one day. Two months later, if the entire procedure has been successful, a puppy is born with the DNA of the animal from which the sample was taken. Impressive, don't you think?