IMHO, 99.9% of the people debating it don't understand it.
And the research is also still at the phase of anecdotal evidence. They're going to have to do a lot more than a couple of studies to prove that something words.
The plural of "anecdote" is not "data."
For instance, the method used to injure the spinal cord could actually play a part in determining how well things would recover. That's just ONE thing to consider. One would also have to test a genetically diverse variety of rats, etc...
Personally, until it walks, talks intelligently, and can legally order a beer, I'm leaning toward treating it as subhuman (and optimally keeping it in a soundproofed box...). In addition, some states seem to view children as the property of their parents - ran across that while researching some custody stuff...