The National Pig Association (NPA) has added its voice to the chorus of criticism of a Chinese firm’s plans to produce gene-edited micro-pigs and sell them for around £1,000.
NPA is urging showbiz personalities in Britain to set an example of good animal welfare by boycotting the market in micro-pigs, regardless of whether these pigs have been created by genetic engineering or selective breeding.
NPA’s senior adviser, Dr Georgina Crayford said: “We question the ethics of genetically modifying animals just to create a fashion accessory.
“The current trend for keeping micro-pigs as fashion accessories could be perpetuating serious animal welfare problems,” she added. “Some miniature pig lines were originally developed for medical research and can carry genetic mutations responsible for deformities linked to animal dwarfism, such as deformed skulls and weak limbs.”
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
