An animal lover who cloned his girlfriend's dog is now going create a £77,000 DNA copy of his own pooch after it died last month.
Dog-mad Richard Remde, 46, had already decided that he wanted to recreate devoted cocker spaniel, Max, as he was deteriorating in old age.
When Max died at the age of 19 - on May 4, Richard made sure he retained some cells needed to recreate the animal who had been his first ever pet.
Dog-mad Richard Remde, 46,has two boxer clones called Chance and Shadow (pictured), who were created from the DNA of their dead predecessor, Dylan
He had Max's DNA extracted by a specialist vet before jetting out to South Korea with the sample on ice to be stored until ready for the procedure.
Richard, who builds footballers' houses for a living, said: 'Max had been with me through everything.
'I'd had family pets as I'd grown up but Max was my first pet, he has seen me go through becoming a father, buying homes and divorce, he has always been by my side.
'I wasn't definitely sure this is what I wanted to do, but now I know I want to keep a bit of Max with us.'
Mr Remde is pictured with Chance, right, and the now deceased Max (far left). Cloned puppies are made through a process called 'somatic cell nuclear transfer'
Max was one of nine dogs living at Richard's home located on a hillside in Silsden, West Yorkshire.
Richard has two daughters from a previous marriage, Alex, 15, and Evie, 10.
But with partner Sarah Jaques, 33, they have pet pooches, a bull mastif called Harvey, a golden retriever called Chloe, and shih tzus Dinky and Alfie.
They also have two boxer clones called Chance and Shadow, who were created from the DNA of their dead predecessor, Dylan.
They have one of the surrogate mothers called Sassie - the other one, Hope, has since died - and a mixed breed dog they are raising after rescuing it on a trip to Korea with a view to rehoming.
Richard is pictured with partner Laura and Prof. Dr. Hwang. Richard had Max's DNA extracted by a specialist vet before jetting out to South Korea with
