In this podcast, Jessica Pierce, PhD, bioethicist, author, and professor, discusses ethics and dog cloning.

Pierce’s latest book, Unleashing Your Dog: A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible, is a good read that every dog lover will appreciate. Pierce earned her Bachelor’s degree from Scripps College, and an M.Div. from The Divinity School at Harvard University, as well as a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia.

Pierce provides an overview of her thoughts on the controversial concept of cloning (pets and other animals), etc. With regard to pets, Pierce states that although cloning could be possible and achievable, the disposition and behavior, etc. of the animal may be completely different than the original animal cloned from. Pierce talks about the ‘unseen’ class of dogs that would be needed as tools to create the clone animal, and she expresses her concern about the exploitation of these other animals, ‘donor dogs’ as they are called, dogs that would be needed for use in a laboratory setting.

Pierce provides details on the technical aspects of a dog cloning process, discussing cell division, fusion, and how embryos are actually embedded during the process.

Wrapping up, the noted bioethicist discusses some of the possible health problems that could arise. And Pierce discusses the cloning industry’s pandering to audiences that may have aging or sick animals. Pierce thinks that it’s a problem, because someone who is anticipating a loss may be vulnerable due to their emotional state. Pierce continues her overview by discussing the olfactory senses of dogs, and which smells dogs may or may not prefer over others. She talks about dog health, dog weight, and how dogs learn to persuade humans.

In this podcast you’ll learn:

What is the process needed to clone a dog?
Problems of cloning
The ethical questions regarding ‘donor dogs’ needed for cloning

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed