Genetically engineered pets

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   All modern domestic animals are generically engineered creatures, many bear little resemblence to their wild ancestors. Whether you do it through selective breading or genesplicing the net result is the same - we engineer wild animals to be docile and loyal and have specific traits that we find atracctive or useful.

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Dean Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout Joined: May 13 2007 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 37575	Posted: February 14 2013 at 15:28
	All modern domestic animals are generically engineered creatures, many bear little resemblence to their wild ancestors. Whether you do it through selective breading or genesplicing the net result is the same - we engineer wild animals to be docile and loyal and have specific traits that we find atracctive or useful.
	What?

Marty McFly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 23 2009 Location: Czech Republic Status: Offline Points: 3968	Posted: February 14 2013 at 15:19
	Hehe, would so many people smoke weed if it was illegal ? Would people love cats so much if they behaved better ? Not sure on either, but part of what makes cat so popular is it's dependent independent behavior, it's self-consciousness.
	There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my

The Doctor Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: June 23 2005 Location: The Tardis Status: Offline Points: 8543	Posted: February 14 2013 at 14:58
	Could they make well-behaved cats? I have 4 very, very naughty kitties. A little genetic engineering might do them some good.
	I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?

HolyMoly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: April 01 2009 Location: Atlanta Status: Offline Points: 26138	Posted: February 14 2013 at 14:45
	As for my personal stance on it, I think it's fine, if it's done responsibly, safely, and humanely. That's a big "if" though. My fear is that people will exploit it for profit, which is what usually happens.
	My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran

HolyMoly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: April 01 2009 Location: Atlanta Status: Offline Points: 26138	Posted: February 14 2013 at 14:38
	My own layman's guess is that it can be done, but any significant changes to animals' DNA would probably need to be executed gradually over many generations, in order to keep the transition as natural as possible. Otherwise we might be overrun with HALF CAT HALF STAPLER monsters just because one scientist had a bad day.
	My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran

Marty McFly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 23 2009 Location: Czech Republic Status: Offline Points: 3968	Posted: February 14 2013 at 14:26
	Gerard, as I am (very slowly, but still) getting older and knowing more and more, I realized that there are some questions, which are nearly impossible to answer correctly. Genetics is one of them. Electronic augmentation of human body is another of them, virtual reality and its abusing is another. Nuclear weapons in hands of some irresponsible fanatics with no regard for human life... I would of course like to discuss all these issues and give my 2 cents, but to answer your question specifically - the current way our civilization is going heads there. We're not there yet, but we will be one day. 5, 10 or 40 years, but we will. Certain cat/dog breeds are something like primitive state of such concept, they were carefully selected, raised ... bred over the years so now we have so many (especially) dog breeds. + combinations of breeds as well, so we get so many variations. Take for example lions of panthers - variations there are not so big, but you get cats of so many colours, shapes, body builds etc. That's proto, now for the future. Perfect pet ? :-D It will be here, I do not like it, yet I am unable to do anything about it. I'm not against it so strong anyway, I would just stick to the old dog/cat combination I am used to. I am used to, do you see this phrase ? Because that's me, but what about new generations of kids who will grew up in a world where such genetically perfect pets will be normal ? You know the answer.
	There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my

Gerinski Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: February 10 2010 Location: Barcelona Spain Status: Offline Points: 5154	Posted: February 14 2013 at 13:46
	Here goes the second question: With the advances of genetic knowledge and engineering techniques I guess that it is now conceivable to try to engineer a 'perfect pet', some animal which would be soft, hairy, conveniently sized, sweet, loyal, resistant to major diseases etc, imagine being able to have a sort of small non-aggressive lion as pet, or a playful, active and sweet sort of Koala or things like that. There could be a huge business awaiting there, a genetically engineered 'perfect pet animal'. We wondered how come big corporations are not investing in this idea. Do you think this is feasible? If it's not yet, there's no doubt that it will be eventually. What are your thoughts about the idea? Are there laws preventing genetic engineering research in this direction? Should there be? What would be your personal stance if such a genetically engineered 'perfect pet' would be marketed?