Genetic engineering and animal welfare

Abstract Transgenic engineering of animals has already caused animals to suffer and this was not anticipated by the researchers involved. As more animals are subjected to transgenic intervention, the probability of animal suffering increases. Types and sources of suffering include the following. 1. (1) Developmental abnormalities. Once the anticipated genetic changes have been accomplished and the new animal prototypes developed as foundation breeding stock, problems are to be anticipated and have already been shown to occur in transgenic animals. 2. (2) Deleterious pleiotropic effects. The term pleiotropism refers to multiple effects by one or more genes on the animal's phenotype. Pervasive suffering can arise from such genetic engineering. This is so in the case of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (U.S.D.A.'s) sickly transgenic pigs. Predictions and assurances as to the safety and humaneness of genetic engineering cannot be generalized from one animal species to other species. 3. (3) New health problems. Veterinary medical knowledge will be inadequate to deal with the special requirements of animals subjected to genetic reprogramming. Research will be needed to correct health problems and associated suffering. 4. (4) Disease resistance. Simply endowing an animal with resistance to a particular disease will not protect it from other pathogens or the stress factors and contingent suffering that make it susceptible to disease in the first place, such as transportation stress, overcrowding, etc. 5. (5) Genetic disorders. Following the successful insertion of the gene for human insulin into diabetic mice, their diabetes was cured. However, after several weeks the mice died of excess insulin. Simply stopping the practice of inbreeding and breeding defective animals is the best prevention. 6. (6) Productivity and suffering. Genetic engineering biotechnology to increase the productivity of farm animals (growth rates, milk or egg yield, etc.) will increase the severity and incidence of animal suffering. The term “production-related diseases” acknowledges that animal sickness and suffering are an unavoidable and integral aspect of modern livestock and poultry farming. 7. (7) Selective Breeding. Veterinary medical research has only recently begun to recognize that so many of the health problems of companion animals are genetic in origin. Few of the disorders that affect farm animals have been looked at from this perspective. The genetic engineering of farm animals for these same reasons will, therefore, have similar consequences. 8. (8) Suffering in the absence of disease. The stress and primary suffering that arise from the consequences of how they are selectively bred, raised and handled have led to dependence upon vaccines and other biologics to protect their weakened immune systems. With such artificial supports, primary suffering will increase as producers are able to adopt even more intensive methods of animal production. The absence of actual disease does not mean an end to animal suffering under current farm animal husbandry conditions. We should all ask why we need to genetically engineer farm animals, especially in these times of agricultural surpluses and chronic overproduction. Are the risks and costs of potential and actual animal suffering worth the benefits, and who will be the primary beneficiaries?