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The pet cloning industry examined
https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.com/news/business-60924936.amp?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16494494388201&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Fbusiness-60924936
Sinogene pet cloning company
https://www.sinogene.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwur-SBhB6EiwA5sKtjovFhyOr2N61TuYp3WFfU_eFhv04C1YXsrade054jB6I2QaqpTjuuRoCbmwQAvD_BwE
Dotty the sheep was cloned in 1996. As a child, the idea that we could make a copy of an animal amazed me, and my thoughts turned to beloved pets. My cat died in my arms after a long bout of illness, and if Dotty could be cloned, so could she. Many of us feel the same way, and the pet-cloning industry is growing in leaps and bounds. Companies like Sinogene are presenting the business model of the future, and some ethical questions remain.
According to Genome.gov, cloning is the process by which an organism is copied. Cloned organisms are “genetically identical” to the cloned target organism. Some asexual animals reproduce by cloning, but this is an artificial process done in a laboratory. Cloned organisms are generally produced using surrogates impregnated with modified eggs containing the nucleus of a donor cell from the target organism.
Sinogene pet cloning service is an existant pet cloning company. Sinogene has been in operation since 2017, and can clone cats, dogs and horses among other animals. The Sinogene website describes their services and the process by which pets are cloned. On the “Technical Information” tab, there is a video describing the process. An egg is sterilized of genetic material, and a genetic information from the donor is added into the egg nucleus. The egg is then fed through a process in which it begins to grow and divide inside a surrogate. In essence, a sample from a pet is taken that includes cells, and those cells become the clone in a surrogate animal’s womb. The process of cloning a dog is $50,000 according to the Sinogene facts sheet.
The major dilemma with cloning is that genetics are one part of what makes a beloved pet or human themselves. Nature and nurture contribute to the full breadth and depth of character and to expect a cloned animal to be your deceased pet is unfair and can be heartbreaking to the owner. Other issues include a high chance of clone miscarriage by the surrogate up to 20%, increased chance of disease and high cost. Pet cloning also gets in the way of the pet adoption pipeline that helps animals to be adopted to better homes.
Pet cloning is a growing industry, with China and Korea leading the way. As the technology matures, many of the issues we see will be mitigated. What do you think? Would you clone your pet, how much would you be willing to pay to see your animal again?
Posted in Hive and Steemit