Nation & World

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Do you have a news tip? newstips@heraldnet.com | 425.339.3400   Published: Friday, July 4, 2008 Heroic Sept. 11 dog will be cloned By Hayley Mick Toronto Globe and Mail Poor old Trakr. A celebrated hero, the police dog can no longer use the hind legs that pushed him through the ruins of the World Trade Center as he sniffed for survivors. His hearing has faded and, at 15, his dog days seemed numbered -- until science gave the retired dog from Halifax, Nova Scotia, a second chance at life. A San Francisco genetics company has selected the German shepherd to be one of the world's first commercially cloned pets after his master -- a former Canadian police officer now pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles -- won an essay contest with a futuristic prize. The company, BioArts, will ship Trakr's DNA sample to the lab of its South Korean partner this month, and Trakr's double should be nipping at his tail by the end of the year. "If he shows even 70 percent of what Trakr had as far as skills, intuition and courage, then without question I'm going to dust off my search-and-rescue gear and we'll go back to work," said James Symington, 42, who learned June 29 that he could soon have a copy of his teammate and best friend. When the hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Trakr and Symington hopped in a car and drove to the disaster. Trakr played a role in locating the last person found alive in the ruins, Symington said. Trakr, now disabled because of a neurological condition, is spending his retirement watching television and rolling down the beach with the help of a doggie wheelchair, Symington said. In May, Symington was watching the news when he heard about BioArt's Golden Clone Giveaway essay contest, which ended June 24. "Once in a lifetime," Symington wrote, "a dog comes along that not only captures the hearts of all he touches but also plays a pivotal role in history." Lou Hawthorne, founder of BioArts, said the company received more than 200 essays, but Symington was the clear winner because of Trakr's professional achievements.

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