“Um, Professor, you mentioned that you’d cover the upfront cost of a fluffy adoption.” Adam Lann started in when the Professor had finished talking with another student. “But how much do you estimate the project as a whole will be?”
The professors thought it over for a bit before replying, “You’ll need a litter box and litter which is about $20 total for the month. Most people buy some toys, but a tennis ball is enough and those are a few dollars a tube. Food cost varies. Cheap pasta is a buck a box, but a bag of fluffy kibble is easier and you don’t have to boil it. A months worth would be another $20.”
Leaning in he added, “Look, Mr. Lann, you’re one of the few who take this class seriously. You’re already acing the course so if you can’t afford to take care of a fluffy you should skip this.”
Adam felt himself get a bit pink in the cheeks. He hated not being able to do things without worrying about the cost. “That’s just it,” he said shrugging a bit, “I like the topic and I want to learn more about it. I’ll make it work.”
The professor gave Adam a card with a name and address written on it. “Just go to that address and speak to the owner. Give him that card and he’ll help you out. Oh, and don’t buy any accessories from him. They’re all marked up.”
Bio-Ethics
A Record of Observation and Musing
By Adam Lann
Day 1
I went to the pet shop the Professor told me to go to. The owner seemed like a nice guy. He definitely knew his stuff when it came to fluffies. He showed me around a bit. Adults and foals were kept in different places. The pens looked crowded, and all the fluffies were begging to be picked. It reminded me of picking teams in middle school.
I thought it interesting that there was a difference in behavior between the foals and adults. The foals seemed like the genuinely wanted to be picked when they stood on the edge of the cage. The adults seemed desperate to get out of there, almost frantic.
It was similar to when customers comes into my store panicked about finding something. They might not know exactly what they want but are frantic to get it. I feel a little sorry for them. The owner brushed it off and said that they simply hated not being picked. But they flinched when he’d pick them up. It might be something else.
The fluffy I did get was one that had been there for a while. That is one of the reasons I picked him. He is a greenish brown pegasus with a yellow mane. An ugly color to say the least, but he has his shots and the owner threw in a sorry stick for taking him.
The fluffy complained about the cardboard carrier being scary as I brought him home. He pooped in box and got it all over himself by the time I got to my apartment. I had to wash him in the sink. He kept crying the whole time about the water being to cold or hot. It Turned out he was just complaining to complain. I told him I made the water hotter (but didn’t) and he claimed it was too hot. I thought about using the sorry stick but didn’t want to hurt him.
He seamed to calm down when I dried him off and he ate all the kibble I gave him. He used the litter box and played with the ball I got him. I let him use an old towel for his bed and he feel asleep quickly. He snores a bit, which is cute.
Oh, his name is Boogerbreath. Apparently some little kids had come into the store and named a bunch of fluffies before anyone noticed. I’ve been calling him Boogie.
Day 2
I did a little experiment with Boogie today. I printed out ten headshots of random actors from a casting website and made them into masks. I put Boogie was in the bathroom and told him not to come until I opened the door. I’d then put on a mask and opened the door. Each time he asked, “Hewwo nice Mista/Wady, haf you seen daddeh?” Not one difference in asking either. They really must program these things.
I did however make the mistake of removing the last mask before closing the door. Boogie freaked out about “taking faces” and pooped all over the bathroom. He still complained about the water temp.
Day 3
Had to work at the hardware store today after school. I made a quick stop at the apartment between times and he started crying as I left. It Really made me feel bad to have to leave him again.
I thought about it when working. These are biotoys. They have programming. But they are also alive and feel pain and can taste and move. Animal or organic robot? Do they feel pain like I do or is it a response to stimulus? Is there a difference?
Should I feel guilty for leaving Boogie alone all day because he’s an animal or should I not care because he’s a slightly more advanced computer? I guess that’s the whole point of this class.
Day 4
Tripped over Boogie tonight. I was moving too fast and didn’t see him. He got tossed a few feet and rolled a bit. His wing took some damage. Seems like hugs really do calm fluffies down when they get hurt. I examined the wing but there are no strange angles. I don’t think it’s broken.
Day 5
It’s most likely broken. It swelled up over night and he was crying this morning. I iced it the best I could before school, but had to leave it. A checked prices for vet visits and I simply couldn’t afford it.
I got some tips on what to do in a fluffy forum online. Boogie is lying by my feet with a few popsicle sticks taped over his wing. Hopefully it will set right.
Some students and I are planning on getting their fluffies together in a few days to play.
Day 6
Boogie is healing.
Day 7
Fluffies heal really fast. I took the splint off Boogie’s wing today and it looked really good. It’s still not up to full range of motion, but it should go back to normal.
I had to use the sorry stick today when Boogie tried eating the computer cord. I doubt he would have bitten through. I just don’t want him to swallow anything important when I’m not around to stop him.
Day 8
Boogie did well with the other fluffies. They didn’t really like his colors that much. He was left out of some things at first but they let him play eventually.
As for the rest of us, we got into the topic of the Dr. Haddlstein’s proof of automation experiments.The ones that they did to show fluffies had programming.
Dr. Haddlsein ran a set of experiments to show fluffies were programmed to seem like intelligent creatures. He sedated pregnant mares and removed the foals via C-section.
He kept the foal isolated and deprived them of sound. Food and warmth were automated to prevent contamination.
When the foals were weaned he introduced them to various stimuli. Without previously hearing any spoken words, the fluffies were able to greet people and identify objects like balls and blocks using English words.
Actions such as hugging and raising the front legs for “upsies” were also noted.
(An Account of the Fluffy Ponies; Man’s Quest for Creation, by Dr. Sonja McFennel. Page 172.)]
Because the foals were separated and raised without ever hearing speech, we agreed that their talking and a good amount of behavior was hardwired into their brains. The dividing point was whether or not that means they are wholly programmed.
After all, infants turn their head and suckle without being taught so an ingrained action does not mean they are without free will. A few other things to note were that fluffies learn new words over time and they can break the ingrained need to seek out humans if they live feral.
At what point does a creature rely on instincts, natural or programmed, verses learned behavior. Clearly we consider ourselves to be freethinking, but still are driven by the need for companionship, food, shelter, and comfort. The only thing I can think of to separate us from other species is the ability to forgo the current comforts to strive for long-term goals. And considering not all of mankind is capable or willing to do so makes me wonder how far advanced we truly are.
Day 9
Boogie asked to play with the other fluffies. It was a little surprising because he usually doesn’t have a great memory. For instance, he rediscovers the ball every day. He never really looks for the ball. But If he sees it he gets excited.
I might call one of the others for a met up.
Day 10
What a terrible day. I used an odor masking powder on Boogie’s litter box. I now think the only reason he knows where it is, is because he could smell it. I just wish I had found out before working all day.
I came home to poop smeared all over the carpet and shoved under the couch. Admittedly I might have overreacted and hit him a bit to hard with the sorry stick. I feel pretty shitty right now. He let out a chirp on the last whack. I didn’t think I had hit him that hard, but he has some welts on his bottom and is hiding behind the toilet.
Of course now that I’m not so angry I think I understand what happened. He must not have been able to find his box and couldn’t hold it in. Then he probably panicked and tried hiding it under the couch.
Day 11
Thank goodness I checked the forums. They said giving them spaghetti after a punishment sometimes makes them connect breaking the rules to getting food. I made sure not to say I was sorry today when I fed him.
Holy cow can Boogie eat spaghetti. I think he might have swallowed the plate if I didn’t take it away from him.
Day 12
Things are back to the normal routine. His welts are gone and he doesn’t seem to be scared of me.
Day 13
An interesting thing happened today when I left for school. Boogie reminded me to print my assignment before I left. I repeated it out loud a few days ago to help remember and he must have picked it up. Lucky guess?
Day 14
It was a lucky guess yesterday. He reminds me every time I leave now.
I left NPR on all day and when I got back Boogie had started talking in a slow and calm voice. He broke out of it after a few minutes. He seems to like the radio more than when I leave FluffyTV on for him.
I’ve noted he always eats from the left side of his bowl. He also gets frightened by McDonalds commercials. All of them. I really can’t even guess why.
Day 15
There were a few more people at the meet-up this time. They brought up the idea of responsibility to family and created species and the planet. They made some interesting points about respect and honor and duty.
Do we owe fluffies anything in their attempt at existing? Do we owe anything to the world for introducing a new species? Is there a responsibility to something we create?
I really see it as an exchange of value when it comes to the family matters. Clearly a couple wants to have their progeny thrive. By providing resources to the children they have a better chance to have them procreate. Resources of time and physical costs is clearly linked to success.
But what if you don’t want your child to survive? Abortion comes to mind as a human destruction of potential life for the sake of long-term success. Infanticide is currently a taboo in most societies, but throughout history it has occurred. Killing children for the sake of weeding out enemy offspring. Lions killing cubs in the rest of the animal kingdom is an easy example.
So if you didn’t want an unwanted created species to thrive, you shouldn’t give them anything. Helping fluffies thrive or even stay alive would contradictory to human goals.
To me, owing something to the world is a little odd. The world is a spinning ball or liquid rock that doesn’t care about life crawling around on top off it. The question then becomes; Does the existence of fluffies damage the ecosystem to the point it hurts humanity?
The easy answer is that they are a major disaster. The Cleveland meltdown caused global damage. Increased car accidents, property damage, wildlife displacement and increase on rabies and urban predators are all directly linked to fluffy population.
But long-term reactions are still developing. Fluffies have jumpstarted the biotech and science industries. They are more efficient than pigs for the consumption of trash and they convert most organic matter into fertilizer. They have helped us understand how DNA affects morphology and behavior. They are making advances in the medical field with their ability to heal quickly and adapt to environments.
This is a double-edged blade because there is an increased concern over infectious disease being spread cross species. So far it hasn’t occurred outside of the lab, but the worry is real.
Will fluffies hurt or help us in the centuries to come?
Day 16
Boogie is excited about his play date tomorrow. He babbles about what he is looking forward to. Huggie tag and blocks.
Day 17
I gave Boogie a bath. He didn’t complain about the temp this time. He was too busy being excited about seeing the other fluffy and likes the smell of the new fluffy shampoo I got for him.
Day 18
I understand why Boogie was so excited now. It turns out Karen’s fluffy is female. They played together like normal when Karen and I were studying. We got a little distracted and left them alone to play.
We realized too late what was happening. We found them curled up in Boogies nest. Little guy is proud as hell for getting Dorothy (Karen’s fluffy) knocked up. How they can know right away that they’re pregnant is a crazy biological skill. Boogie was rather upset when Karen took Dorothy home that night.
He kept asking to see her all day today. He really does miss his “special friend.” I called Karen and we’re getting them together again tomorrow.
Day 19
Boogie really takes care of Dorothy. When we feed them he made sure she ate first. It was really kind of cute.
Day 20
We took Boogie and Dorothy to the park today. Karen mentioned that Dorothy asked about Boogie all the time too. We listened to Dorothy’s mama song for a bit. It was about all the things she wanted to show her foals. Boogie would mention something once and a while and she added it into the next verse.
I realized at some point that they might actually be thinking about the future. When I asked why they didn’t play with the foals now, Dorothy told me that the foals couldn’t play yet because they were still inside her. She added that they would be outside her soon.
Looking it up online I didn’t see any conclusive examples of foresight. There is a big debate on if that is programmed or a real grasp on expected events.
Day 21
Day 22
I think I got food poisoning yesterday at the school cafeteria. I could barely move. I was only able to get to the bathroom. Karen said she stopped by with some ginger ale and made sure I had water. I barely remember anything about that day.
Boogie kept crying and giving me hugs every time I threw up. I had some weird dreams too.
He has been sleeping next to me most of the day and brought his ball into my room to play. He really is a good fluffy.
Day 23
Feeling better. I cut some blocks out of discarded wood at work today. They aren’t the colorful ones but Boogie still likes them. He always puts the one with the blue markdown paint on top. He can build towers two high but usually knocks them down trying for the third.
Day 24
Went to the park again today with Karen and Dorothy. They met up with a feral herd at the edge of the field. Karen and I stood back and watched them for a bit. They brought the herd back to the picnic and wanted us to feed them and take them home.
We tried to explain that it was illegal to feed ferals, but in the end we simply told them they could play with their new friends but not bring them home. The herd was disappointed but I think they were happy we didn’t attack them like others do.
Day 25
Karen and Dorothy came over again for dinner. Dorothy is already getting bigger, but I think it’s mostly fat. We kind of spoil her right now.
Day 26
I killed a few feral fluffies today. I brought Boogie to the park and I saw what I thought was the same herd as a few days ago. Either it was a different herd or a smarty had taken over at some point.
Boogie ran up to them and started playing until the smarty noticed. He demanded Boogie join the herd. When Boogie told him he had a daddy the smarty came up to me a demanded sketties and to leave Boogie with him.
I of course told him no and he sprayed shit over my shoes when I reached over to pick Boogie up. I think I threw up on one of the mares with foals. Anyway I turned back and there were two larger fluffies stomping on Boogie.
I kicked one of them off and I could feel it crumple around my foot before it flew back. I grabbed the other one by the mane or something and just threw it. I think it landed in the woods but I didn’t look.
Boogie looked like he was in rough shape. He was limping and crying. I picked him up and started home when the smarty started talking shit about making me run away. I turned around and brought my foot down on his head a few times. That crunching sound was awful.
I got Boogie cleaned up when I got home. They must have known how to hit him because he has a broken back leg. The skin was torn and the bone was poking out. I rinsed out the wound before setting it. I stitched it up and covered it with Neosporin but I’m worried about infection. He’s having trouble walking with the splint, but he seems to be in good spirits considering.
Day 27
Karen came over to help me amputate Boogie’s leg. She left Dorothy with her roommate so she wouldn’t be upset.
It was starting to smell this morning and was an angry red around the break. The cost for a vet visit or medication is way beyond anything I can afford. They told me a lot of people just put them down and get a new one. I just have to try and save him.
I really hope that this works. We looked everything up online. I got Boogie pretty drunk on some cider and we shaved the leg. The infection went past the tarsus so we had to amputate above the next joint. He’ll only have a small stump when it heals.
I picked up a saw and file at work and boiled them. We used iodine to serialize the area. It’s the first time I’m happy I’ve needed to sew all my cloths. Attaching the vein and artery was a bitch. We used an old curling iron to cauterize the smaller blood vessels.
Boogie was in and out through the whole thing. I don’t think I’ll get his screams out of my head for some time. I wish Karen didn’t have to be there to see is but I’m glad she was there to help. I don’t think I could have done it on my own.
Boogie is sleeping.
Day 28
I’ve kept Boogie rather drunk all day. He keeps trying to stand which I take as a good sign of strength. The wound is pink and scabbed over so I think its clear of infection. I change the bandage often.
I took the day off to stay with him. I keep thinking about those other fluffies. I most likely killed three of them to save Boogie. Are there lives less important to them than Boogie’s is to him? Did they leave behind their own special friends? Not that I’d change anything.
But does Boogie’s life have meaning because it is his life, or only because it has meaning to me? He defiantly isn’t sapient in the way humans are. Maybe somewhere above chimps and dolphins? But he has a personality. He likes things. He can be happy or sad. He can feel.
Shouldn’t that matter?
Day 29
Boogie has been hopping around but he gets tired quickly. He cries every so often about his leg. “Why weggie weeve? Wan weggie back.” I told him, “Your leg was being a meanie and tried to give you biggest hurties. The bad leggie was scared away by your bestest leggies.”
I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a fluffy try to hug it’s own legs, but it is adorable.
Karen brought Dorothy over today. Dorothy was upset about the whole thing but Boogie told her that his bestest leggies would be even better without the other. She seemed to accept that. They went back to a sort of normal.
Day 30
Last day.
I talked to the owner of the pet shop and he said I didn’t have to return Boogie. Damaged goods and all.
When I first started this I didn’t expect to keep him. Little Booger grew on me.
I still don’t know where I stand on the fluffy problem, but I do know I’ll help Boogie get through his life. Maybe he’ll help me through mine a little too. That sounds really sappy, but there you go.
The Professor asked Adam to stay after class.
“What’s up Professor?” Adam seemed a bit more upbeat today.
The Professor raised his eyebrow. “I finished reading your paper last night. How’s Boogie doing?”
Adam laughed, “Boogie’s doing great. He’s a father as of two days ago. They’ve been keeping him busy.”
“Good to hear,” The Professor smiled. “Tell me. Did you really do a successful amputation after only reading about it online?”
“Well, there was a video or two on Youtube that helped me out, but otherwise yes. Why?” Adam asked.
“I mentioned it to Professor Allister today and he asked if you were interested in the medical field. If you are I could introduce you to him. He’s interested in seeing your handiwork.”
Adam took a moment, “I was looking into switching majors so that would be great, thank you!”
“Just email me your schedule and I’ll set up a time.”