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narshaadha
Moderator
Posts: 499
(12/28/04 6:21 pm)
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Cloned Cats
On Friday, December 10, a very expensive cat was delivered to his new home. At a cost of $50,000, the feline made headlines as one of the world's first cloned cats, created by Genetic Savings and Clone, Inc., a commercial pet cloning service based in Sausalito, California.
Just a few days later, Toby, an attractive, friendly two-year-old cat, wandered into the laundry room of an apartment complex in an attempt to keep warm. Later that day he was picked up by a caring animal control officer and taken to a local shelter to await adoption.
But Toby's story ends like that of millions of other homeless animals. Instead of being taken into a loving family, he was euthanized after the five-day stray holding period due to lack of space at the shelter.
Toby's death wasn't unusual, considering that he was just one of thousands of cats euthanized that week in the United States. In fact, an estimated 57,000 homeless pets are euthanized every week in the United States, due to a constant and overwhelming stream of animals pouring in from communities across the country.
Given those disturbing numbers, why would a family of animal-lovers spend $50,000 to create a cat, while Toby and thousands of animals like him desperately need new homes? Why is a company spending millions of dollars to create cloned cats when it's estimated that 3-4 million companion animals are euthanized each year?
Clearly, there's money to be made by trading on individuals' understandable desire to keep a beloved pet around. But the costs of creating a recyclable pet culture will be high. The fact is, it's irresponsible and unethical to be cloning animals when there aren't enough homes available for all of the pets like Toby.
Until every animal has a home, all animal lovers should consider adopting their next pet, whether a dog, cat, rabbit, hamster or other animal, from their local animal shelter or breed rescue group.
Cloning doesn't just affect pets—it could have major implications for other animals as well. Learn more about the about the repercussions of cloning.
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sjay66
Village Visitor
Posts: 4
(12/29/04 9:45 pm)
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Re: Cloned Cats
Yes i seen this on my local news, this is dispicable, it should not be allowed to happen, not just for the thousands of animals euthanized each day, but because of the immoralalities that come with cloning. 
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Gaia Angel 
ezOP
Posts: 2314
(12/30/04 7:55 pm)
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Re: Cloned Cats
Im a strong advocate OF cloning. However, this is an extreme I cant and wont condone. If creatures like the do do and the condore and countless others brought to the brink of extinction and beyond can be brougt back, i say do it. However for "common animals"? no. I adore fritz....yet were the unthinkable to happen, after a period I would ADOBT again....but i couldnt and wouldnt clone. WHY? It doesnt produce fritz back again....so why would it matter?
I should rephrase my first senteance....I am a strong advocate of RESPONSIBLE cloning.
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earthnann
Child of the ancient schools
Posts: 103
(12/30/04 9:51 pm)
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Re: Cloned Cats
How do you define "responsible cloning" and why are you in favor of it?
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sgrmtndrone
New Student/Teachers Apprentice
Posts: 28
(12/31/04 7:15 am)
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Re: Cloned Cats
Quote:
....I am a strong advocate of RESPONSIBLE cloning.
This topic worrys me . Mankind has never been totaly responsible . Some things are just not ment to be . Just my opinion but thought I would share it .
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shadeaux63
Keeper of dreams
Posts: 1051
(1/9/05 1:38 am)
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Re: Cloned Cats
I would be for the cloning of endangered species,only if it were not a fact that man continues to destroy habitat at such a rate,that the only places these animals COULD ever live,would be in zoos.The California Condor is doomed,because of mans pollution,and irresponsibility towards preserving the habitat they need.If they were cloned,would the clones be treated any better? Would they be less sensitive to pollutants?No,they wouldn't.
Cloning of pets is rediculous.People with the kind of money to throw away on it really need to re-think thier priorities.Little Fluffy isn't coming back,and a clone is NOT little fluffy all over again.It may look like it,but it isn't.And if they looked hard enough,I bet they could find a pet who looked very much like Little Fluffy at the local pound.
I can understand cloning cells,for use in healing conditions like severe burns,bones,etc.But other than that,humankind would be better served spending thier resources on healing this planet,and ending wars,poverty,and disease.
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narshaadha
Moderator
Posts: 504
(1/9/05 11:05 am)
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Re: Cloned Cats
Amen, shadeaux. Cloning for cells to use in healing is the only approriate science, but as always people take it too far.
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