For and against companion animal cloning
The first domestic cat was successfully cloned in 2002 and two years later the first commercially cloned cat (Little Nicky) was born. The cloning of companion animals brings with it a number of issues different to those associated with the cloning of production animals.
Those who support the cloning of companion animals, see it as an opportunity to ‘perpetuate’ the lives of their favorite pets and to cheat death to a certain extent. Compared to selective breeding, cloning gives rise to progeny which are physically identical to the parent, maintaining the characteristics which the owner or breeder finds desirable. It has also been argued that cloning companion animals may help to reduce genetic defects in future.
Animal welfare groups, however, are very opposed to the cloning of companion animals. The RSPCA holds the position that cloning to reduce genetic defects is unacceptable when those animals should simply not be bred in the first place. Whilst there may be economic advantage in cloning production animals, there is no such justification for the cloning of companion animals.
The costs associated with commercially cloning a single cat (US$50,000) also need to be balanced against the number of homeless cats and dogs and the distress that the surrogate mother and donor will have to go through.
In regards to the current commercial state of companion animal cloning, Genetic Savings and Clone Inc. was a private US company which offered cat cloning services to the general public. This company will remain famous for producing Little Nicky, however, the company closed in 2006 due to lack of demand. Presently, other companies such as ViaGen offer to gene bank pets in the event that another company offers companion animal cloning in the future.
Primary Reference:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1820749.stm
Those who support the cloning of companion animals, see it as an opportunity to ‘perpetuate’ the lives of their favorite pets and to cheat death to a certain extent. Compared to selective breeding, cloning gives rise to progeny which are physically identical to the parent, maintaining the characteristics which the owner or breeder finds desirable. It has also been argued that cloning companion animals may help to reduce genetic defects in future.
Animal welfare groups, however, are very opposed to the cloning of companion animals. The RSPCA holds the position that cloning to reduce genetic defects is unacceptable when those animals should simply not be bred in the first place. Whilst there may be economic advantage in cloning production animals, there is no such justification for the cloning of companion animals.
The costs associated with commercially cloning a single cat (US$50,000) also need to be balanced against the number of homeless cats and dogs and the distress that the surrogate mother and donor will have to go through.
In regards to the current commercial state of companion animal cloning, Genetic Savings and Clone Inc. was a private US company which offered cat cloning services to the general public. This company will remain famous for producing Little Nicky, however, the company closed in 2006 due to lack of demand. Presently, other companies such as ViaGen offer to gene bank pets in the event that another company offers companion animal cloning in the future.
Primary Reference:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1820749.stm
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=biotechnology&marker=1&articleId=1125906258684
http://www.bioethics.iastate.edu/classroom/Case_of_the_Cloned_Cats.html
http://www.bioethics.iastate.edu/classroom/Case_of_the_Cloned_Cats.html
