Animal Rights Arguments Against Xenotransplantation

A few years ago, my good friend’s grandmother, Vesta, one of the sweetest old ladies you’ve ever met, found herself in need of a heart valve transplant. Her time was limited and the chances of her finding a perfect heart valve to replace her old one were small. Then in the midst of this too common issue, a glimmer of hope appeared. A pig heart valve transplant. The family was skeptical at first, but what other choice did they have? Because of this transplant, Vesta is now thriving. What would we do without her picking us up from school on rainy days. How could the world manage without her red car Petunia puttering down the road and her bright smile that is never absent. Lucky for us, we don’t have to find out anytime soon, and it’s all because of a pig. Her situation is not unlike one that many people young and old

The three main controversies that come up when looking at it are: animal rights concerns, allocation of resources, and distributive justice entanglements. Many Animal Welfare as well as Animal Rights activists hold strong feelings of negativity towards Xenotransplantation. They believe that it is wrong for us to take animal’s lives for our own benefit. Allocation of resources and distributive justice concerns go hand in hand when discussing this matter. To put it simply, some people believe that people who hold a higher status will get “Better” organs. Each of these issues, as well as others, must be addressed when considering this procedure. However, despite all the concerns that must be addressed, xenotransplantation could save countless lives and therefore should not be dismissed. A person who’s life was torn away too soon could live another day, take another breath, enjoy another moment with the ones they love. This procedure could mean years of precious life given to people who otherwise would spend months or even years waiting for a donor organ to become