The Pros And Cons Of Animal Biotechnology

Any new technology is unpredictable, and this unpredictability produces concerns about risk (Straughan, 1996). Although genetic technology is regularly claimed to be accurate in targeting specific genes, it remains unpredictable in terms of the possible risk and unexpected consequences (Kaiser, 2003). With this being said, there are many uncertainties about the reliability of genetic technology and some include, the concern about the speed of animal biotechnology and how it can effect changes in animals, compared with traditional selective breeding which allows changes to be observed and assessed over many generations; concerns that animal biotechnology might constrict the gene pool and reduce genetic diversity; and finally concerns that genetically modified animals might be accidentally or deliberately released into the environment, causing various forms of ecological disaster (Straughan, 1996). It is impossible to prove that a particular event will or will not happen in the future. As, Dennis (2002) states, “no activity or process can ever be certain to present no risk and to be 100% “safe”, and animal biotechnology is no exception to this rational rule”.
Any activity could possibly lead to terrible consequences and in order to study these possibilities closely, we now need to discuss the subject of animal welfare and ask whether the possible consequences of animal biotechnology might involve levels of pain and suffering which are ethically