Background
Like other developing technologies, genetic engineering could either be a great boon to animal welfare or emerge as another specter that threatens humans’ obligation to promote respect for animals. Which role it will play depends on the standards employed in its use and the vigilance with which it is monitored. Several specific developments require special attention. In the area of companion animals, the cloning of pets and the breeding of hypoallergenic cats deserve special attention.
Allergic reactions by people to cats, and to other animals, are a very real medical issue. If nothing else, they deprive sufferers of the chance to enjoy the bond that so many others share with their animal companions and result in large numbers of animals being relinquished to shelters. The techniques that will be used to “silence” the gene that codes for Fel d 1, the cat protein most often implicated as a trigger for an allergic response to cats, seem to be benign in their impact on the physical condition of the cats. It will be important to monitor the long-term health of these cats to ensure that silencing the gene does not result in unforeseen harm.
Our current knowledge of animal cloning indicates that there are important welfare concerns at issue. Reports on the health and condition of mammalian animals produced by cloning have indicated a variety of anatomical and physiological problems. Moreover, cloning is an inefficient process that results in tremendous loss of animal life. It is difficult to document fully the consequences of cloning or bioengineered applications of companion animals since many of these activities fall outside the framework of publicly funded and regulated research programs. While much of this work is privately funded, it does demand public attention and scrutiny.
There is also concern regarding the development of genetically modified organisms for the food industry, including animals. Long-term safety of consuming food products from cloned animals has not been determined. Again, attention must be paid to the welfare implications for animals with modified genomes, as well as the long-term impact that possible escape of these organisms into the environment may have on natural populations. Finally, we must consider the impact that cloning and other forms of genetic technology will have on the naturally occurring genetic diversity of animal species, and its implications for longer-term viability.
ASPCA Position
The ASPCA supports the cautious development of new technologies that offer promise to enhance the human/animal bond and the health and welfare of animals and environment, provided that all due diligence and vigilance is exercised to ensure that the highest standards are adhered to in the development and implementation of the technology.
The ASPCA calls for a moratorium on the research, promotion and sale of cloned and bioengineered animals. During the moratorium, a multidisciplinary commission should be established to evaluate and address animal welfare concerns and the manner in which the work has proceeded, the regulations and oversight required to protect the safety of human and nonhuman animals, and the ethical consequences of continuing this work. The commission should include representatives from industry, government officials, academic scientists, animal welfare professionals, veterinarians and bioethicists. They should have access to all available and appropriate data on the procedures employed and the medical records of both animals used in the creation of cloned and bioengineered pets and of any pets who have been created. The report of this commission should then be used to develop guidelines, regulations and restrictions as appropriate to govern work in this area.