Rourke’s dog got some praise in his Golden Globes acceptance speech in January of this year.

Rourke, who owns seven small dogs, chihuahua and chihuahua/terrier mixes, was seen carrying his dog on the Red Carpet at the Venice Film Festival last year. He brought his then 16 year-old Chihuahua terrier mix, Loki to the event.

“My dog is very old, she is 16 and she is not going to be around for long so I want to spend every moment with her,” he told Reuters.

The Otto’s had their Labrador, Sir Lancelot’s DNA frozen before his death. Sir Lancelot’s DNA sample was sent to the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation in Seoul, South Korea, which provides cloning services to BioArts. Researchers there put the DNA into an egg, and Lancey was born November 18, according to BioArts.

The Humane Society of the United States released a statement expressing their position against commercial animal cloning.

Given the current pet overpopulation problem, which costs millions of animals their lives and millions in public tax dollars each year, the cloning of pets has no social value and in fact may lead to increased animal suffering,” the organization said on its Web site.

For those looking to replace a lost pet, cloning will not create an animal identical to the one who is gone; cloning cannot replicate an animal’s uniqueness. Cloning can only replicate the pet’s genetics, which influence but do not determine his physical attributes or personality.

The dog clone wars have begun.

Sometimes when you’re alone, all you got is your dog and they meant the world to me.
–Mickey Rourke, during his acceptance speech for Best Actor at the Golden Globes.

Rourke, who owns seven small dogs, chihuahua and chihuahua/terrier mixes, was seen carrying his dog on the Red Carpet at the Venice Film Festival last year. He brought his 16 year-old Chihuahua terrier mix, Loki to the event.

“My dog is very old, she is 16 and she is not going to be around for long so I want to spend every moment with her,” he told Reuters.

Barney, once described by Karl Rove, Mr Bush’s political strategist, as “a lump,” and dissed by then Russian President Putin as a dog not fit for a world leader (whatever, little dogs rule), will probably be happier back on his Texan Ranch after January 20th with his dogfriend, Miss Beazley.

No mention of these attacks on Barney’s Website www.barney.gov

We just tried to contact Barney to get his side of the story. We asked:

Any response to the recent reports of your attacks on various journalists at the White House?
http://mydogsblog.com/2008/11/gws-barney-bites-back/
Those pesky press people should keep their hands to themselves.

And

Any tips for First Dog Elect that the Obamas have yet to pick out?
http://mydogsblog.com/2008/11/first-dog-update/

In a recent CBS’ “60 Minutes,” interview, future first lady Michelle Obama said: “We’re on call-mode on the dog front. Because the deal with the dog was that we would get the dog after we got settled. Because as responsible owners we — I don’t think it would be good to get a dog in the midst of transition.”

She added: “We cut that deal with the kids before … America knew about it. So they’re — they’re good with it.”

Still, “They’re ready for us to get the dog now,” she acknowledged.

The family wants a dog from a shelter, and they need one that will not trigger 10-year-old Malia’s allergies.

“We’re getting a lot of suggestions though,” President-elect added Obama . “Boy, I mean the — people are sending suggestions. And we’re taking it all under advisement.”