TechnologyCompany Taking Bids to Clone DogsCompany Taking Bids to Clone DogsThe Associated PressA Northern California biotech company says it will clone dogs for the five highest bidders in a series of online auctions. As the AP's Haven Daley reports, some ethicists and animal rights activists are condemning the offer. (June 23)(locator - Mill Valley, CA)(Lou plays with dogs nats)LOU HAWTHORNE LOVES DOGS...ESPECIALLY HIS SHEPHERD-COYOTE MIX, MISSY. Lou Hawthorne, CEO, BioArts International, says: "She was extremely bright and extremely good with language. She would learn words very quickly. Toward the end of her life, she died at age 15 in 2002, you didn't have to use commands with you. You just spoke to her and she'd understand."BEFORE MISSY DIED, HAWTHORNE BANKED HER DNA. USING THE SAME TECHNOLOGY THAT CLONED DOLLY THE SHEEP, THE ENTREPRENEUR HAD SCIENTISTS IN SOUTH KOREA CLONE HIS BEST FRIEND, NOT ONCE BUT THREE TIMES. HE CALLS THEM HIS "NEAR MISSYS."Lou Hawthorne, CEO, BioArts International, says: "Now that we have successfully clones Missy, "Missy Accomplished" we like to say, we're looking at how to offer this service to the general public. Because our production capacity is relatively small and demand unknown but potentially vast, we think the only fair way to do this is by auction."STARTING IN JULY FIVE WINNING ONLINE BIDDERS WILL HAVE THEIR DOGS CLONED. BIDDING FOR THE "BEST FRIENDS AGAIN" AUCTION STARTS AT 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEY'RE ALSO AWARDING ONE FREE DOG CLONING TO THE OWNER WHO WRITES THE BEST ESSAY ABOUT THEIR PET.(dog chew toy nats)Haven Daley, The Associated Press: "But not everyone's thrilled with the idea of dog cloning, especially with all the dogs out there waiting to be adopted."Jean Donaldson, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says: "There's no shortage of animals in this country. There are in fact dogs wanting homes. We don't need to be creating dogs. Another thing, the technology's not very well worked out. It's not very...