Genetic engineering of animals: Ethical issues, including welfare concerns
Here is a summary of the journal article at a 9th grade reading level:
Genetic Engineering of Animals: Ethical Issues[edit | edit source]
What is Genetic Engineering of Animals?[edit | edit source]
Genetic engineering means changing an animal's genes using technology. It includes:
- Adding new genes - Removing genes - Altering existing genes
Some examples are glow-in-the-dark fish, hypoallergenic cats, and cloning animals.
Why Genetically Engineer Animals?[edit | edit source]
There are many reasons to genetically engineer animals:
- As pets - like tailless cats or hypoallergenic dogs.
- For conservation - cloning extinct or endangered species.
- For food - chickens that grow bigger or cows that make healthier milk.
- For medicine - mice with human diseases to test new drugs.
- For organ transplants - pigs with humanized organs.
What are the Animal Welfare Concerns?[edit | edit source]
Genetic engineering can cause pain, distress or health problems for the animals:
- Procedures like surgery to transfer embryos can be invasive.
- Many animals are used to create a single genetically engineered line.
- Effects of genetic changes can be unpredictable and cause suffering.
- Cloned animals often have abnormalities and health problems.
There are efforts to refine techniques to reduce animal suffering. But welfare impacts remain a concern.
Beyond Animal Welfare - What are the Ethical Issues?[edit | edit source]
Some ethical issues go beyond animal welfare:
- Altering an animal's 'essence' or purpose.
- Violating the integrity or dignity of species.
- Unbalancing the relationship between humans and animals.
- Patenting animals raises concerns about commercialization.
Views differ on whether limits should be set on genetic engineering animals. It involves complex ethical questions.
What is the Role of Veterinarians?[edit | edit source]
Veterinarians should:
- Understand the context, uses and ethical issues.
- Monitor animal health and welfare.
- Inform the public and policy discussions.
- Voice concerns from an animal health perspective.
Careful oversight is needed as genetically engineered animals become commercialized.
Key References[edit | edit source]
- MacArthur et al. 2006 - Impacts of animal breeding on welfare - Weaver & Morris 2005 - Risks of genetic modification - Rollin 2003 - Telos and genetic engineering - Schuppli & Weary 2010 - Public attitudes on genetic modification