Arthur Murray, owner of Flambeaux Wine in Healdsburg, California, cloned his Maremma sheepdog Stella, producing a puppy named Mella; the household now includes two dogs and one person. World’s First Cloned Winery Dog Now Home in Sonoma County

Murray said he began the process because he worried about Stella’s age and lifespan and wanted to preserve her genetics. He engaged the commercial cloning company ViaGen Pets and Equine, which is currently the only company providing such services in the United States, and a genetic copy — Mella, short for the Italian word Gemella meaning twin — was born at the beginning of this year.

Murray described the experience as unnerving. “It’s all science fiction to me, I have no idea how it’s all done, but I don’t think I knew what to expect, and I was nervous,” he said, speaking about the decision to pursue cloning. This decision comes amidst growing interest in pet cloning, which though niche, is a rising trend in the U.S. Pet Clones Market Size, Trend & Growth [2025 To 2033]

Stella, a Maremma sheepdog, has a defined role on Murray’s property: “always on guard and helping us keep things the way they should be,” according to the account of the vineyard’s owner. The new puppy, Mella, is described in the record as a genetic clone of Stella, born at the beginning of this year and intended to carry forward the original dog’s lineage. However, it’s critical for pet owners to understand that cloning raises significant ethical considerations, particularly concerning the welfare of the animals involved in the process, including egg donors and surrogates. Celebrities Are Now Cloning Their Pets, But Experts Warn of Hidden …

On the scientific limits of cloning, Heather Huson, Associate Professor and Associate Chair in Cornell University’s Department of Animal Science, cautioned that identical genetics do not guarantee identical behavior. “You could have two dogs that have the same genetic sequence, but if you put them in two different environmental scenarios of how they’re trained, how they’re socialized, they can be very different dogs behaviorally down the road,” she said. This highlights a broader discussion about the limitations of cloning in replicating not just physical traits but also the unique personality traits of an animal.

That distinction — between DNA and upbringing — aligns with broader discussions in the field about what cloning can and cannot reproduce in a companion animal. ViaGen Pets and Equine is identified in the account as the company that provided the cloning service for Murray’s dog.

Murray acknowledged the gap between appearance and personality. “They’re 100% physically identical. But I was never in a delusion that they would be the same dog,” he said, adding later: “I understand why people feel the way they do, but I also want them to understand why it made sense for our family.”

The decision has tied the vineyard in Healdsburg and the surrounding Sonoma Valley to a personal experiment in genetics and companionship. Local reporting has also followed the story in the region, including coverage in Sonoma County on the subject of a cloned vineyard dog.

Mella’s arrival marks the completion of the cloning timeline described here: Stella’s tissue preservation and the subsequent work with a cloning service culminated in the birth earlier this year of a puppy intended as a genetic twin. Murray remains the single named person in the narrative, and the two dogs — the original and the clone — are the primary subjects of the account.

Where things stand now is straightforward: Mella, the clone, has been born and introduced into Murray’s life at Flambeaux Wine; Murray has spoken openly about his nervousness and his reasons for choosing cloning, and experts note that genetics are only one part of an animal’s eventual behavior, making the decision to clone multifaceted and complex.

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Original reporting: view the original article.