Susan Armstrong, a professor of philosophy at Humboldt State University opposes cloning of companion animals on the grounds it leads to the "commoditization" of emotionally valuable animals and, ultimately, humans. "While there is no law against cloning these animals I think it should be morally discouraged," she said. "It takes us another step toward treating living organisms as commodities or products,” said Armstrong. Armstrong also pointed out that although a clone animal may have the same genetic makeup as its predecessor, there is no guarantee it will have the same personality. If it looks like Fluffy, sounds like Fluffy or moves like Fluffy, it probably won’t be Fluffy.

Every year the Humane Society impounds between eight and tweleve million cats and dogs. Between four and six million of those animals are put to death. So, why do we want to clone?

As Armstrong noted, humans will eventually be cloned. Where do we draw the line? When you bring religion into it, it becomes highly complicated. Humans were not meant to be cloned or to play God.

Cloning is wrong, but how about genetic engineering? The two are closely related. Genetic engineering can bring about new species, much like natural selection. However, genetic engineering would use cross-breeding rather than the natural evolution of the species.

With genetic engineering we can help different species of animals. We can change a cat’s DNA so that it will no longer have hairballs. The more advanced genetic engineering becomes, the more things we can do. For example, scientists are researching to find a way to combat cancer. We can use it to help rather than harm.

Although I have hopes for genetic engineering I think that people would eventually use it for the wrong reason. It’s humanity’s nature to be destructive and chaotic. Gene splicing would eventually find it’s way into the laboratories. People would become monstrosities. Maybe I just have a big imagination.

Whether it’s cloning or genetic engineering we must always remember to have a reverence for life. That is why cloning is wrong. It crosses a boundary between humanity and Frankenstein, a line that should only be crossed in science fiction.