| Clone a Cat, Go To Jail | | | | multiple surgeries as part of the process of |
| ...or at least pay a fine. That's the goal of animal | | | | making clones.The Risks To Owners |
| welfare activists who announced recently that | | | | The potential for consumer fraud is also an issue. |
| they are seeking state and federal restrictions on | | | | Clones tend to be ordered by people who are |
| the small but growing pet-cloning industry.The | | | | grieving the loss of a much-loved pet and who |
| effort has been spearheaded by the American | | | | may have unrealistically high expectations of their |
| Anti-Vivisection Society [AAVS] (in suburban | | | | clones. Although they share identical genetic |
| Philadelphia), and takes aim at companies such as | | | | profiles, clones do not always resemble originals |
| Genetic Savings and Clone Inc., the California | | | | because coat patterns are not strictly genetically |
| company that began to fill orders for cloned cats | | | | determined. Personalities and behavior patterns |
| last year. The clones - which have sold for | | | | are even less predictable on the basis of genetics |
| $50,000 each - are genetic duplicates of a | | | | alone. All personalities are products of some basic |
| customer's deceased pet and represent the | | | | genetics, and the environment in which the animal |
| leading edge of an emerging sector that | | | | is raised and, since a particular environment can |
| advocates predict could eventually reap billions of | | | | never be perfectly recreated (there's always a |
| dollars for corporate cloners. The movie, the 6th | | | | random element) personalities will, most likely, be |
| Day , starring the erstwhile governator, Arnold | | | | different as well in any clone. "Consumers are |
| Schwarzenegger, features pet cloning businesses | | | | likely under the impression that a clone is a carbon |
| in a shopping mall during its opening sequences. It | | | | copy. We believe they are being misled," AAVS |
| may soon be the case that life imitates art in this | | | | policy analyst Crystal Miller-Spiegel said.David |
| respect and pet cloning franchises may start | | | | Magnus, director of Stanford University's Center |
| popping up in common shopping venues. But not if | | | | for Biomedical Ethics, spoke more bluntly. "People |
| the AAVS have their way.Should Cloning Be | | | | are not getting what they think they're getting," |
| Allowed? | | | | Magnus said. "This is a $50,000 rip-off."There is |
| Several companies are racing to compete with | | | | certainly a war of words beginning between the |
| Genetic Savings and Clone, the current industry | | | | cloning businesses and the AAVS. It's likely to |
| leader, which has produced about a half-dozen | | | | become a more contentious issue as there's |
| cloned cats and aims to achieve the more difficult | | | | potentially a lot of money to be made (at |
| goal of cloning a dog this year. Some companies | | | | $50,000 per kitten) and companies may see the |
| are already selling fish genetically engineered to | | | | AAVS's concerns as hurting those potential |
| glow in the dark, while one has said it will soon | | | | profits. It's going to be a case of "Watch This |
| produce cats engineered to not cause reactions in | | | | Space".Conclusion |
| people allergic to them.The AAVS petitioned the | | | | Personally, however, cloning is one option I'm not |
| Department of Agriculture to regulate pet-cloning | | | | in favor of but it might be for you if you're |
| companies as it does other animal research labs | | | | looking at replacing a pet that's died. As I |
| under the Animal Welfare Act. The act demands | | | | mentioned above, the clone may look identical to |
| minimum standards of animal care and detailed | | | | your lost companion but the personality will likely |
| reporting of the fates of laboratory animals. They | | | | be different. That's not to say the personality will |
| have also been working with a California lawmaker | | | | be better or worse, just different. Look at it this |
| to introduce state legislation that would ban the | | | | way - how many sets of identical twins have the |
| sale of cloned or genetically engineered pets.Are | | | | same personalities despite having the same |
| Grieving Pet Owners Being Taken Advantage Of? | | | | genetic make-up and being raised in the same |
| "Pet cloning companies offer false hope of never | | | | environment? There are always random factors |
| having to let go of a pet and are causing harm to | | | | involved. Every personality is unique and passes |
| animals in the process," the AAVS concluded in a | | | | by this way only once.If you find yourself in a |
| report, "Pet Cloning: Separating Facts From | | | | position where you would consider cloning to be |
| Fluff."Managers of Genetics Savings and Clone | | | | an option that will help you cope with the death of |
| denied emphatically that their enterprise takes | | | | your cat, you should do some background reading |
| advantage of grieving pet owners or harms | | | | first. The National Geographic have a news item |
| animals. "We bend over backwards to make sure | | | | on pet cloning and some people's reaction to |
| people are doing this for the right reasons," said | | | | it.Gary Nugent, a software engineer by profession, |
| company president Lou Hawthorne. Nonetheless, | | | | has been a life-long animal lover, especially of cats |
| he said, "we're open to additional oversight, | | | | and is the webmaster of - a site that helps you |
| provided it makes sense."The Risks Involved For | | | | make the best choices to keep your cat healthy, |
| Cloned Animals | | | | happy and long-lived. The site contains information |
| Previously cloned animals have suffered high | | | | about cats in general, health issues that can affect |
| rates of biological abnormalities and unexpected | | | | them, some of their weird and wonderful |
| deaths during gestation and in the first days of | | | | behavior patterns, their history, and how to |
| life. Hawthorne said that has not been the case | | | | choose various products, supplies and toys for |
| with cats. But critics said the process raises other | | | | your feline furball. And, not to forget about |
| concerns, including the welfare of egg donor and | | | | you...there are a few things on the site to keep |
| surrogate-mother animals that must undergo | | | | cat owners amused as well. |