Is it wrong?

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But from the sounds of it, these piggies aren't poorly?

Just because the shop also sells snakes, does not automatically mean they will become snake food! Far cheaper to buy frozen rats I would have thought... I reckon they have every chance of going to a good pet home. Don't worry too much about it :) If you worried about every animal in every shop for no apparent reason, you'd go insane! xx0
 
I have to say it... if a guinea pig is unhealthy and in deplorable conditions in a pet shop and you give the pet shop money for that animal then all you're doing is giving them a big pat on the back and some profit from that poor animal's suffering. Another one will take its place and no doubt end up the same. Why is the next one less deserving of a home just because you don't have space for it? It may be a continuous circle but only because people can't walk away.

It's about time it was more difficult for people to buy/obtain animals full stop. Putting a price on a life and sticking it in a shop is just depressing.
 
The best thing to do is to call the RSPCA or the local council if you see a sick animal.

But I know it's hard, I've been there too. I try and have morals, but I know I can't walk away I'm weak I'm sorry! But I won't go in pet shops that sell animals because I know I couldn't say no if a saw any that were suffering.
 
SunshineAndTwinkle said:
The best thing to do is to call the RSPCA or the local council if you see a sick animal.
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This is sooo important. It's all very well going and buying the animal to "rescue" it but people are told repeatedly that there is nothing that can be done if these organisations don't actually see the animal in the shop in the condition it's in.
 
Its not just about the animal being possibly miss treated and fuss being unwell, a well pet in a pet shop, seen by possible one of us might still might make us buy it, at the end of the day not all of us can resist having a look in a pet shop and end up buying. I do not do this, but admit in the past I have bought pigs because I fell in love with them, one is my baby who I love the most, so I cannot regret it. But I would not do this all the time, as I hate the attitude pet shops have, that a animal has to be worth its space in the shop, in the time that it is there. We all have our own morals, but at the end of the day most people on here love piggies and the pigs we do have are all well looked after. That has to be something positive! I think the issues raised here are very consistent with this site and p@h always comes up, but I feel the issue of breeders is left to the side, the worst thing I have ever seen is a lady near Whitby selling bunnies and piggies in horrible states, even new born pups are born blind! and she told me she had some in the back, but refused to let me see them. I can only imagine the horror of the condition those pigs would be in. :-\ But we can only do so much to stop it, she was reported to the rspca, and she is still going and is always advertising in my local paper like clock work! What ever bit we can all do has to be a good thing. As I said before at least the pigs we have are happy! :) The whole world has suffering, and it takes more than one person to help this become better, but it never stops, and has been going on for years and will do so for years more. I could rant on all day, but if your happy with doing what you can I see no wrong in that at all. But I do hate it when others make you feel bad for a action you take, you would not be on this site if you did not care about piggies. You have to make mistakes to see the right, this site is a learning curve for all of us.
 
While I see your point about breeders etc they are just keeping up with demand. If people were educated about where these animals came from then they might think twice about buying them. It's all very well to say that people are breeding guinea pigs in horrible conditions but they are producing cheap, sickly animals for shops to fill the demand that buying in pet shops creates.

If pet shops sold only supplies and people had to seriously consider where they got their animals from then these breeders would soon no longer exist and I'm sure rescues would be much less full.
 
I totally agree that it comes down to education. I dont agree that animals should be so available. If you buy from a pet shop they ask if you have owned before if you say yes they hand you the animal and off you go. If you say no, they tell you a little bit about how to care, hand you a care sheet and off you go. Its wonrg. Breeders are just as bad, they often breed with siblings and parent causing massive health problems and leep animals in poor condition. I am all for rescue and recommend it to everyone but as with ANY rescue animal you have to ask where dod it come from? manly bad breeders and pet shops. If people continue to want animals, be it from rescues, pets shops or breeders, we have accept that we are making a demand. No one should feel guilty about where and how they purchase their animals from as long as we all give the animals we have a loving caring home.
 
When I got Sunshine (He was my first pig) the women in the pet shop said did I own any other pigs I said no and she said well in that case when he is bigger he can live with a bunny! ::) :o :tickedoff:

I knew that wasn't right because I'd researched pigs before I got them only that I didn't know about rescues at that time. I'm so glad to haver him though he was in with an albino rabbit and looked terrified I couldn't leave him. I got him before I got a cage so I'm guilty of impulse buys but as long as you are educated in the long run.

Doing some rescue works make me realise what's involved and I understand why many are anti pet shop. I have a man coming here tomorrow to view Ant and Dec. He doesn't have a set up right now but I'm going to advise him on what's best for them and try for a c&c cage. He is only coming with his daughter to check them out, then he'll go and sort his set up before I home check. It's good that we are in the position of educating new owners so they don't fall into the trap of just doing what they think is best rather than what they should do if that makes sense 98) ;D
 
sarsmccabe said:
am all for rescue and recommend it to everyone but as with ANY rescue animal you have to ask where dod it come from? manly bad breeders and pet shops. If people continue to want animals, be it from rescues, pets shops or breeders, we have accept that we are making a demand. No one should feel guilty about where and how they purchase their animals from as long as we all give the animals we have a loving caring home.
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So many people say things like this and all it says to me is "don't bother going to a rescue... they probably come from a breeder or a pet shop anyway... just cut out the middle man and get it from the shop yourself". Rescue does NOT contribute to this demand - as I mentioned above when you adopt an animal it creates a space for another animal in need to take its place. Why do we have animals in need?

Because pet shops sell to anyone and everyone and I'm sure every person on here will accept that "anyone and everyone" is not necessarily a good, caring owner. Take away people's ability to make impulse buys and the like and there will be immediately be less of a problem - people will have to research where they get their animals from and those who can't make the effort are generally the people who couldn't give a toss if an animal lives or dies.

I can only hope that this secondary legislation regulating pet shops does something towards tightening the laws surrounding the sale of animals in this country.

Nobody has anything to feel guilty about if they love and care for their animals but personally I feel guilty for the animals that have replaced the ones I bought a long time ago before I knew better.
 
Can I just say altho I see both side's of this what I don't get is most ppl seem to be against pet shop's and breeder selling but surely if this didn't happen there eventually would be no rescue's running or guinea's for us all to love as the race would dry up? :-\
 
DSL, i wasn't saying cut out the middle man. I woult tell anyone to get from a rescue. i was just making a point.

We all have our feelings on this matter and no one shoud be made to feel guilty about where they get there beloved pet from.
 
sianieJ said:
Can I just say altho I see both side's of this what I don't get is most ppl seem to be against pet shop's and breeder selling but surely if this didn't happen there eventually would be no rescue's running or guinea's for us all to love as the race would dry up? :-\
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Even though this would take quite a long time to happen you are right. But the reality is, is that their is always someone breeding and thus someone selling. Rescues are a great thing, but you cannot make people go to them, its up to the individual. All I have said all along, is that it matters about the pigs each of us have, as they are all loved. And we can only do so much, nothing is going to stop these companies as it would have already happened. Pets at home has existed since I was a wee child I am now 26. I reckon they will still be about in years to come, selling pets.
 
sianieJ said:
Can I just say altho I see both side's of this what I don't get is most ppl seem to be against pet shop's and breeder selling but surely if this didn't happen there eventually would be no rescue's running or guinea's for us all to love as the race would dry up? :-\
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Not likely to happen is it? The thought is laughable. But if we cut out the crappy pet shops and the backyard breeders we would have people (not necessarily rescue but I hesitate to use the term "responsible" breeder) who rehomed healthy, happy animals only to the best quality home-checked loving homes. What is so wrong with that? Is it because it's not as easy as going into a shop to buy one?

Oh, and nobody "needs" a guinea pig, so if it meant that there were no more guinea pigs suffering I would gladly waive the right to owning them!

Edited to add: I think it's depressing and defeatist to say that it will never happen that these companies will be stopped selling animals. So many posts on this forum not to mention others by people who are not only unhappy with the sickly animals they've purchased or have had die shortly after purchase, but people who are depressed by the conditions the animals kept in. It's a bit like the bystander effect - everyone assumes that someone else will do something about it. They won't! YOU have to be the one to complain - on the spot, in writing, on the phone, by email. Thankfully that's what most people on here do but some don't. Change isn't something that just happens. In the last 20 years it's become unacceptable to sell cats and dogs in pet shops, birds are going that way too. Why are smaller animals so different? I think we'd all agree that it's not because they're any less deserving.
 
I agree Lorna we don't 'need' pigs we just take them in because they are there and they need good homes. But I don't think they are going out of fashion anytime soon. Half a million guineas and buns are tested on each year (RSPCA fact) which goes to show the vast numbers we are dealing with here. It's a wonder guineas aren't wild in this country, infact it does suprise me they aren't!

The fact that birds aren't sold in P@H is a step in the right direction. Oh that bad pet shop in Liverpool I'm always harping on about sell kittens.
 
daftscotslass said:
Edited to add: I think it's depressing and defeatist to say that it will never happen that these companies will be stopped selling animals. So many posts on this forum not to mention others by people who are not only unhappy with the sickly animals they've purchased or have had die shortly after purchase, but people who are depressed by the conditions the animals kept in. It's a bit like the bystander effect - everyone assumes that someone else will do something about it. They won't! YOU have to be the one to complain - on the spot, in writing, on the phone, by email. Thankfully that's what most people on here do but some don't. Change isn't something that just happens. In the last 20 years it's become unacceptable to sell cats and dogs in pet shops, birds are going that way too. Why are smaller animals so different? I think we'd all agree that it's not because they're any less deserving.
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I argree with all of that I have purchased an animal from a petshop and with all the problems I have had it has been testing to say the least. And now since becoming aware of rescue's will I in future? Of course. I don't think I will ever buy from a store again rescue will be the way. I have said before I have been in the back of pets@home and was amazed at just how many piggie, hammy's there were :o There were stacks and stacks of them and the cage's are not even washed they just tip the sawdust out and fill it back up again so it stuck :'( I complained there and then and emailed head office as I have done a fair few time's since Jan (think they hate me lol). I try not to even go into a pets@home now as I'm that annoyed with the way they are kept as wanna grab someone as soon as I walk throught the door!
 
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