Barking up the Wrong Tree
An activist group has been organized in California to ban pet cloning. Henry Miller comments on TCS:
The improbably named Jennifer Fearing recently penned a tirade against animal cloning. The rant was stimulated by the announcement from South Korean scientists of the first cloned dog, an adorable puppy called Snuppy who is genetically identical to a sweet Afghan hound named Tai. Mistrusting scientific progress that uses animals, Fearing finds the development dark and unsettling.
Ms. Fearful er, Fearing knows that her moral suasion will not prevail, so she and other members of something called Californians Against Pet Cloning are pushing for legislation "to ban the retail sale of cloned and genetically modified pets." Beyond being paternalistic and misguided, such a stricture is preposterous. All of the more than 150 recognized dog breeds are derived from a wolf-like ancestor. Picture standing side-by-side a timber wolf, a Chihuahua, and a Great Dane, and tell me that's not genetic modification at work.
The almost supersititous stigma that surrounds cloning of any sort is going to be a tough obstacle to overcome, but I can think of one thing that might do it -- the affection that pet owners have for their little friends. Ultimately, I expect that both pet cloning and pet cryonics will be huge industries.
Comments
I wonder if that "I don't think they're cute" jerk will show up again? :-S
I'm not sure that this will be a "huge" industry. The weirdness and expense of such procedures will keep people away for awhile.
Of course, the sense of weirdness will fade and the cost will come down over time. The larger question - will this be more than a novelty?
You remember that first cloned cat? The scientists made the bad move (from a PR standpoint) of choosing to clone the Siamese cat.
The coloring of a Siamese cat is random. So the clone (which was a 100% genetic match of the parent) looked nothing like the parent.
Animals that have random coloring traits (and maybe Siamese cats are unique in this way I don't know) would be less likely to be cloned. If Spot's clone looks like another completely different dog - same breed but different - why not just go to the pet store and buy another Beagle when Spot dies?
I doubt Ms. Fearing will get far with this. Sacremento rejected a similar bill back in May.
Posted by: Stephen Gordon![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.blog.speculist.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 15, 2005 01:40 PM
Consider that the activist group to ban pet cloning brings tremendous attention and awareness to this issue, therefore insuring that it will succeed. The focus is important. Controversy is needed.
Posted by: M Hayes![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.blog.speculist.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 15, 2005 03:54 PM