Origin:

The genpets surfaced afther the creation of the website, they were creepy humanoid being displayed in blister packs (like action figures) but with the fact that they were living beings and not only that, they were claimed to be a new genetically modified especies.

the espread of this was similar to that of Bonsai kittens causing disgust and polemic among people

The truth:

Genpets are a mixed media installation art piece by artist Adam Brandejs.It is considered a hoax of exposure. The project has been shown in multiple galleries in Canada and Europe and has garnered some attention in the mass media.

The creations were sculpted, automated creatures made of latex and plastic, and housed robotic circuitry to simulate slow respiration. They looked like small, baldskinned and ugly humanoids, and were intended to be displayed as living, but dormant, bioengineered creatures for purchase as pets. The fabricated packaging indicated a purchaser had a choice of colors, for different personalities and levels of activity, and that the creatures had a limited vocal capacity. The sculptures and packaging, along with the professional-appearing hoax website, are so realistic that observers are often fooled.

In 2006, Genpets were featured on the weblog for The Museum of Hoaxes in San Diego, California. as well as broadcast on BBC News Worldwide on a BBC program called Click as well as the Times (UK), the New York Times and G4TechTV.

All the work was hand done by the artist Adam Brandejs, with assistance from makeup artist Crystal Pallister for the coloring of the creatures. The pictures show the actual 19 genpet units that display at art galleries. Genpets have been displayed at multiple Fine Art galleries and museum displays in both North America and Europe.

So in fact Genpets are not real at all

The confusion:

The elaboration of the "hoax" was so realistic that to this day some people still velive they are real, specially in places with heavy religious influence.

the confsion began afther the revelation of the hoax, since this generated so much polemic mails in seek of baning the genpets started circulating, the problem was tha due to poor translation and sensationalism in non english speaking places people started to think the artistic installation was a protest aganist the real thing, missunderstanding that the real thing was part of the installation

also in south america many newspaper and blogs stated and sustained this was a real abomination and neglected on resarch the truth behind it, that just created more confusion.

Genpets website

Brandejs explanation

Splice the new genpet

we shoul do things like this and play god… the thing is whe you play with dadys gun you migth shoot your own face