Pet cloning is upon us. This month, a California based pet cloning company, Genetic Savings & Clone, (GSC) began work on its first commercial project, termed The Nine Lives Extravaganza, to clone 9 cats, 3 for company staff members and 6 for first-come-first-served clients who are each paying USD50,000, (GBP27,500) to have their cats copied.

The company expects to deliver the cloned cats, strongly resembling their genetic donors, to their clients by November this year.

The cloning process is extremely complex and despite going commercial, is still in an experimental stage in terms of the 'production' process. GSC says that its feline cloning capacity will increase in 2005, although it will remain fairly small. In time it expects prices to fall as economies of scale and efficiency are realised.

Controversial

The whole subject of animal cloning remains of course, highly controversial. The Humane Society of the United States, (HSUS) condemns the commercial cloning of companion animals calling it an imperfect and dangerous science. The organisation points out that many of the animals that have so far been cloned have presented a wide range of medical problems and it questions whether a cloned pet can lead a healthy and full life.

Others obeject on religious and moral grounds, describing the process as abhorrent and immoral.

To allow, and to counter objections to its cloning project, GSC has set up discussion boards on its website. Alongside scientific discussions of the technology, the company has included the opportunity for objectors to give voice to their concerns.

Submitted by: Steve O'Malley      

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