HOUSTON – A biotechnology company, United Therapeutics, has revealed plans to build a 22-acre facility in the East Houston area to breed genetically modified pigs.
The company intends to raise up to 200 pigs at a time, specifically engineered to grow human-like kidneys for transplant into people. The pigs do not survive the procedure.
Animal rights group PETA has voiced strong opposition to the plan, arguing that using animals for organ harvesting is unethical.
“Other animals are not warehouses for us to get spare parts. God created them for something else,” Dr. Alka Chandna, PETA’s Vice President of Laboratory Investigations, said .
The proposal is already raising eyebrows in nearby communities, particularly in Summerwood, a master-planned neighborhood about three miles from the proposed site. “I’ve seen what an outdoor pig farm can do to a reservoir. They haven’t informed us at all about how this will impact our area,” said one concerned resident.
As of now, United Therapeutics has not released specific details on the layout of the proposed facility, including indoor versus outdoor use for the animals. The project is still in the permitting process, and the exact environmental and community impacts remain unclear. The facility would be located just south of Lake Houston, which has added to residents’ concerns over potential environmental risks.
This situation is not entirely new to Texas. Last year, a similar proposal to establish a monkey breeding farm in Brazoria County was scrapped after a wave of local protests. The company behind that plan withdrew its application amid growing public outrage.
A spokesperson for United Therapeutics, however, sought to reassure the public, pointing to the company’s successful operation of a similar facility in Virginia. The representative emphasized that animal well-being is a top priority for the company and stated that any future operations would be conducted with the utmost care.
For now, the future of the proposed facility remains uncertain, but construction could start as early as March, and animals could be housed in the facility in 2026-27. Local residents and animal rights groups are closely monitoring developments, and the debate is expected to continue as the permitting process moves forward.
