Crossbreeding Ethical?
The newest in exotic pets! A zores, zonkey, or zeedonk, is a hybrid between a horse and zebra or donkey and zebra. This is possible because both parents are from the equine family. A zores is rarer than a zonkey. While a zebra and horse and zebra and donkey can produce offspring, a zores, zonkey, or zeedonk can't produce young. Which raises an ethical question is it right to produce offspring that can't reproduce? A zorse is the offspring of a horse and a zebra. A zonkey is the result of mating a male zebra and a female donkey. A zeedonk is the offspring of a female zebra and a male donkey. A zorse is a bit rarer than a zeedonk or zonkey because a horse is not quite as enthusiastic to mate with a zebra as a donkey might be. This crossbreeding can occur in nature although it is rare.
The animals are no doubt intriguing and handsome, the stripped pattern of a zebra with the principal colors of a donkey, the cuteness of a donkey or majesticness of a horse. Is it ethical to cross breed when the results of the offspring are sterile? Cross breeding horses and donkeys produce the mules which are also sterile. A lot of people feel this is wrong. However, is your cat or dog neutered or spayed? Many exotic pets are spayed and neutered. These animals can't reproduce. Is this any different than the zorse or zonkey? Does breeding theses animals with such different chromosome count cause unknown or known physical/medical problems with offspring? Not that I've heard of. I wanted to check any problems that may have risen between a horse and a donkey. Well, the saying "Healthy as a Mule," is said for a reason. The mule seems quite healthy. Let’s examine crossbreeding from a biblical standpoint, taken from Genesis 24. "And God said, let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and everything that creeps upon the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good". Are zebras, donkeys, and horses one of a kind? What other ethical arguments for or against breeding the zorse, zeedonk, and zonkey? Your opinion? The zonkey is cute, the zorse handsome. It will be interesting to see if any health issues arise and how people view the ethical view of the whole subject matter. What do you think about the hybrid breeding of horse and zebra and donkey and zebra?
