Post by Dawn - Admin on Oct 28, 2005 15:44:18 GMT
Found this article on a rescue site, what are your thoughts?
The Pet Trade
Before you buy a guinea pig from your local pet store, please take the time to read the following. Perhaps after doing so, you will decide that pet shops are not the best place to acquire a pet!
Q - where do the baby guinea pigs come from?
Most of the large pet store chains only accept guinea pigs from regular contracted breeders. These breeders keep guineas for the sole purpose of supplying the pet trade with a never-ending source of "goods". It is plain to see that under these conditions the animals being bred are no more than produce, many living and dying in puppy mill-like conditions. Buying from a pet store, you may be endorsing this type of business. Do you really want to do that?
Some "show breeders" are more than happy to sell their unwanted babies to local pet shops. These are the poor little ones that they do not want to keep for breeding or showing. Perhaps the baby is the wrong colour, size or has a bitten ear. Rather than take responsibility for the animals they breed and re-homing them themselves, they dump them to be sold to anyone who comes in. Much easier than finding caring homes themselves.
Some pet shops breed their own animals in a back room. Again, these little ones are not pets but breeding machines. They will never know the love and care of a special home. Not a great life really. Next time you are in a pets store, ask where/who they buy their guinea pigs from, you may just be surprised.
Q - why do many shops not guarantee gender?
These shops will tell you that it is impossible to tell the gender of a young guinea pig. This is absolute rubbish! If a shop cannot guarantee the gender of a guinea pig, they should not be selling them. Many of these shops employ untrained staff, often students earning a little extra through a weekend job. These casual staff often know very little about livestock.
Q - why do so many guinea pigs leave the pet shop pregnant?
Some guinea pigs no doubt arrive pregnant. Sows can be fertile and pregnant as young as four weeks, if breeders have males in with them. Some little ones become pregnant by their father at a young age. This is detrimental to their health, some miscarry or abort, worse still die. Again, if the pet shop has mixed sex groups, pregnancies will occur.
Time and time again I receive calls from people who have unknowingly bought pregnant guinea pigs from pet shops. I always tell them to complain to the shop manager. Sadly his or her response is usually "Bring the babies in and we'll sell them." Have they no shame?
Q - what happens to those they don't sell
One shop in the North East that breeds its own in the back of the shop, puts them in a cage with a notice that say's "free to good home". I know because I took two males from them. Another large pet chain has a kind of guinea pig sale and they go at a reduced price. Personally I think this is terrible, we are talking, living sentient creatures not shop-soiled goods. Usually it is the male guinea pigs that are harder to sell and as they grow and lose some of their "cuteness", they sell them off cheap.
Not so long ago "PetSmart" was in the national British papers when it was discovered that at one store, ill animals were "disposed" of in an inhumane way by shop managers. This is disgusting. Thankfully they no longer trade in the UK.
The next time you are in a pet store take the time to really look at the guinea pigs, do they look happy and content? Does the shop keep rabbits and piggies in separate cages - if not, then they should. Are the water bottles full and clean? Is there fresh hay and greens in the pen? Ask the staff if they guarantee the guinea pigs gender. If you are unhappy with conditions, complain to the shop manager and ask him, if it is a chain of shops, for the address of head office. If there are some welfare issues, ring the relevant environmental health department, contact via your Town Hall. Anything more serious ring the R.S.P.C.A.
There are better places to find a companion piggy than a shop and it is my sincere hope that this site helps would-be owners to find an alternative. Please remember there are usually guinea pigs of all ages available, from babies to old timers at rescue centres. Give a rescue piggy a second chance! Don't fuel the pet trade.
copyright © CavyKind 2005 cavykind.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/
The Pet Trade
Before you buy a guinea pig from your local pet store, please take the time to read the following. Perhaps after doing so, you will decide that pet shops are not the best place to acquire a pet!
Q - where do the baby guinea pigs come from?
Most of the large pet store chains only accept guinea pigs from regular contracted breeders. These breeders keep guineas for the sole purpose of supplying the pet trade with a never-ending source of "goods". It is plain to see that under these conditions the animals being bred are no more than produce, many living and dying in puppy mill-like conditions. Buying from a pet store, you may be endorsing this type of business. Do you really want to do that?
Some "show breeders" are more than happy to sell their unwanted babies to local pet shops. These are the poor little ones that they do not want to keep for breeding or showing. Perhaps the baby is the wrong colour, size or has a bitten ear. Rather than take responsibility for the animals they breed and re-homing them themselves, they dump them to be sold to anyone who comes in. Much easier than finding caring homes themselves.
Some pet shops breed their own animals in a back room. Again, these little ones are not pets but breeding machines. They will never know the love and care of a special home. Not a great life really. Next time you are in a pets store, ask where/who they buy their guinea pigs from, you may just be surprised.
Q - why do many shops not guarantee gender?
These shops will tell you that it is impossible to tell the gender of a young guinea pig. This is absolute rubbish! If a shop cannot guarantee the gender of a guinea pig, they should not be selling them. Many of these shops employ untrained staff, often students earning a little extra through a weekend job. These casual staff often know very little about livestock.
Q - why do so many guinea pigs leave the pet shop pregnant?
Some guinea pigs no doubt arrive pregnant. Sows can be fertile and pregnant as young as four weeks, if breeders have males in with them. Some little ones become pregnant by their father at a young age. This is detrimental to their health, some miscarry or abort, worse still die. Again, if the pet shop has mixed sex groups, pregnancies will occur.
Time and time again I receive calls from people who have unknowingly bought pregnant guinea pigs from pet shops. I always tell them to complain to the shop manager. Sadly his or her response is usually "Bring the babies in and we'll sell them." Have they no shame?
Q - what happens to those they don't sell
One shop in the North East that breeds its own in the back of the shop, puts them in a cage with a notice that say's "free to good home". I know because I took two males from them. Another large pet chain has a kind of guinea pig sale and they go at a reduced price. Personally I think this is terrible, we are talking, living sentient creatures not shop-soiled goods. Usually it is the male guinea pigs that are harder to sell and as they grow and lose some of their "cuteness", they sell them off cheap.
Not so long ago "PetSmart" was in the national British papers when it was discovered that at one store, ill animals were "disposed" of in an inhumane way by shop managers. This is disgusting. Thankfully they no longer trade in the UK.
The next time you are in a pet store take the time to really look at the guinea pigs, do they look happy and content? Does the shop keep rabbits and piggies in separate cages - if not, then they should. Are the water bottles full and clean? Is there fresh hay and greens in the pen? Ask the staff if they guarantee the guinea pigs gender. If you are unhappy with conditions, complain to the shop manager and ask him, if it is a chain of shops, for the address of head office. If there are some welfare issues, ring the relevant environmental health department, contact via your Town Hall. Anything more serious ring the R.S.P.C.A.
There are better places to find a companion piggy than a shop and it is my sincere hope that this site helps would-be owners to find an alternative. Please remember there are usually guinea pigs of all ages available, from babies to old timers at rescue centres. Give a rescue piggy a second chance! Don't fuel the pet trade.
copyright © CavyKind 2005 cavykind.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/
I am not sure, that is what I tried to be.
got some pretty strong views over didn't we though 
