Make Extinction Extinct!

An amazing scientific accomplishment is set to make a major impact on the debate on cloning ethics, and it could change your mind about whether or not you would clone your pet. Earlier this month, National Geographic News ran an article about the first successful clone of an extinct species. The clone was a bucardo, a Spanish animal that went extinct in 2000. It died within minutes of birth, but that did not discourage the team responsible for this feat. They plan to improve the technology and procedure of animal cloning and make another attempt within a couple years.

This accomplishment may not have been possible without the work done by pet cloning companies. The strides that these companies have made in the scientific field of animal cloning have resulted in indispensable knowledge contributions. These companies have done research and developed pet cloning procedures as commercial ventures, funded by their customers. In other words, if you clone your pet, the fee that you pay funds research that expands scientific knowledge and helps to save species of animals that are in danger of dying out. Now, it seems we can do the same for populations that have already died out. Though the science is imperfect and has not yet resulted in a clone that has lived for a significant period of time, this is a big accomplishment. Through further funding, facilitating further research, we will someday be able to repopulate recently extinct species.

There is no denying that humankind has had an impact on our planet. Land development and increased human population has had an enormous effect on other species. There is sometimes a clear link between humans and endangerment or extinction of certain species. Through development of animal cloning, we now have an opportunity to fix the mistakes we have made. Supporting animal cloning is a responsible step to take toward healing our planet.

Why You Should Clone Your Pet

Opponents of cloning animals will tell you that it is wrong to clone your pet because there are millions of homeless pets in animal shelters, waiting to be adopted. Not only does pet cloning deny those animals precious homes, but it is also costly, and the money would be better spent by donation to a shelter. This would be a compelling argument, if in fact, the opposite were not true.

Actually, those homeless animals are a great reason for you to clone your pet. As scientists do more research into cloning animals, they learn more about their reproductive systems. Currently, the standard practice is to surgically spay or neuter pets. With better knowledge of cat and dog reproduction, gained through the cloning process, scientists can develop contraceptive methods that are cheaper and less invasive. And if you clone your pet, the cost of it goes toward such research. This is an important part of the equation, because the reproductive systems of dogs are not as well understood as those of other mammals. Without commercial interest in the subject, funds were unavailable for research into the physiology of canine reproduction.

In the long run, shelters will benefit far more greatly from introduction of a cheaper and easier way to sterilize animals than from a one-time donation. If a drug-based contraceptive is developed, it can be distributed to feral animals without the need to trap them. Also, people who may have avoided a costly surgical procedure may be more likely to give a pet a drug-based contraceptive. With non-evasive and affordable contraception available, the goal to control dog and cat populations becomes attainable.

If you want to clone your pet, chances are that you love not only your cat or dog, but all animals. The years that you spend with an animal create strong bonds and teach you much about that particular animal. Having cared for and bonded with an animal with the same genetic makeup, you can be sure that if you clone your pet, you will have a perfect match. At the same time, you will be helping to make strides in pet population control.