Harnesses

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Birdie

I was in the pet shop today and a woman was buying a guinea pig harness. I've always thought of these as being cruel as it seems unnatural to drag a piggie around on a harness, especially as they like to be able to run and hide if something frightens them.

What are other people's opinions? Do any of you use them?
 
totally disagree with them, they can cause lots of harm to a piggie. as discussed before everyone on here completely disagrees with them
 
Agreed. Can't see why anyone would want one for a piggy, it's not like you can take them anywhere is it?
 
As I thought. I wonder how who on earth gave approval for them to be manufactured and sold?

The worst thing I've ever seen is a hamster harness that goes round their NECK! grrrr
 
Unfortunately there are many things wrongly marketed toward guinea pigs which are completely inappropriate and misleading to new, naive owners who believe that anything with "guinea pig" written on the side will be good or fine for their little darlings. Harnesses and guinea pig balls are two blips of a large industry powered by marketers keen to grab everyone in their little niche.

If a lasting injury is caused to the pet through use of the harnesses, the company can easily bow out by claiming misuse of the harness. (for example, unrelated, choke chains for dogs are often abused and misused even by the most well-meaning owners causing lasting damage to the dogs throat which can be seen in an autopsy) I'm sure that the piggie harnesses are marketed as a means of keeping track of your piggie, you're supposed to "follow their lead" which kinda makes me question how it can be used as a restraint if you're not supposed to put any tension on the lead.

I use to have one (marketing 1, tea 0) when I first started to care for piggies. When one of my pigs went utterly ballistic with it on I quickly got rid of it. :(
 
Many years ago, I did have one for a rescue rabbit, Susan, who sadly died suddenly a few months after she arrived. I didn't actually walk her with it. I put it on when she was out in the garden - always supervised. She didn't like it when I tried to catch her when it was time to go back in, but with the harness and lead, I had a better chance of getting her.

When I was in America, I saw something being sold for guinea pigs that was quite different. It was more like a little padded waistcoat with a ring at the back for the lead. It certainly looked more comfortable and practical. I didn't buy it though as I don't think I'd particularly have any need for it.
 
Being fairly new to guinea pig owning i was actually going to buy a harness for my pigs, but having read the posts i have definately decided against it. Thanks,
 
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