From Dolly to debate: Student’s national award-winning essay explores ethics of cloning
By Troy Johnson
When Allison Purtle decided to enter the American Veterinary Medical History Society’s annual student essay contest, she knew she wanted to tackle a topic that offered an equal blend of scientific curiosity and ethical complexity.
Her resulting work – “Hello, Dolly! The History and Ethics of Animal Cloning and the World’s Most Famous Sheep” – earned the top prize in the AVMHS 2025 J.F. Smithcors Student Veterinary History Essay Contest. Purtle, a second-year student in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program, revisited the 1996 case of Dolly, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell, and examined the resulting ripple effects in science, society and veterinary medicine. What set her work apart from other entries was her thoughtful interrogation of the ethical questions surrounding animal cloning.
“I’ve been interested in the implications of animal cloning since undergrad, specifically when it comes to the field of xenotransplantation and its potential to change the world of organ transplantation,” said Purtle, who earned a $1,200 first place prize. “Outside of school, I also enjoy learning about scientific scandals, many of which happen to focus on the ethics of cloning. When looking for an essay topic, I was really surprised to learn that an animal as famous as Dolly had never had an essay written about her. I feel her story perfectly represents everything I love about veterinary medicine — a responsibility to be ethical stewards of animal welfare, the duty to educate and ability to captivate the public, and the capacity to propel scientific progress forward for the benefit of both humans and animals.”
Purtle is the second Auburn student to place in the contest since 1992. Other 2025 award-winners represented Cornell University and the University of Missouri. The essay contest honors the late J. Fred Smithcors, DVM and Ph.D., for his contributions as an educator, publisher, editor, author of several books on veterinary history, and founder of the AVMHS.
Purtle said her father helped fuel her interest in history, and that AP history courses in high school taught her how to write analytically about topics. She decided to enter the AVMHS contest after an assignment in a first-year elective “reminded me how much I enjoy writing, especially in a more narrative style.”
“I definitely subscribe to the adage of being doomed to repeat the history we don’t know,” said Purtle, an Arkansas native who earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical science at Texas A&M before coming to Auburn. “It’s impossible to set a course for where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.”
Purtle said she would like to eventually work in a general practice or emergency setting and has developed an interest in small animal and companion exotic medicine. She selected Auburn’s DVM program, in part, because of its “emphasis on community and tradition, and the exciting opportunities in the world of exotic medicine like the Raptor Center.”
“I’m so grateful for the mentors, family and friends who supported me along the way, and I’m excited that I had the opportunity to compete in something in Auburn’s name,” Purtle said. “They took a chance and invested in me by admitting me to the DVM program, and it means a lot to be able to pay back that trust in some small way.”