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School Guinea Pigs

Jude

Jude

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Messages
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Location
Kent
I've just emailed the lady who set up the school 'nature garden' to say I think she needs to rehome the piggies and rabbits. We've had the 4 pigs over the holidays and I do not want them to go back. They are in a lovely routine with us and it won't be continued if they go back to school. Hoping she will see the light and let me rehome them (already have a potential home for 2). Fingers crossed...
 
TheLottiediarys said:
Why don't you want them to go back?
What are the school doing wrong for these animals?
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It's a long story but basically the set up is completely wrong. Personally, I don't think animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits should be kept in school unless there is a real need and a proper care plan in place - which there isn't. It was no thought through correctly.
 
Jude said:
It's a long story but basically the set up is completely wrong. Personally, I don't think animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits should be kept in school unless there is a real need and a proper care plan in place - which there isn't. It was no thought through correctly.
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Yes after some digging I have found your other thread about it,
Possibly it would have been better to continue this conversation on that thread?
Because I had no idea what you meant and now I do,

I think it's a hard one, because at the end or the day you can't control what the school is doing, all you can do is advise or offer to rehome the Guinea Pigs,

Maybe it is better to try to advise?
Because then the children at the school will learn right from wrong in guinea pig care based on the schools guinea pigs?
 
I don't think a school environment is suitable for them either.

A lonnnnggggg time ago, when I was in Primary School (1960's!) I remember we had a classroom Guinea Pig. The only thing I remember about this piggie is that one child was cruel to it :( I can see it in my mind now :(
 
I totally agree that they should not go back, a school is no place for piggies. With interaction only a few hours a day and noisy too! No, just no. Two of ours are rescues from a school, poor boys were terrified for months before they calmed down :(
Do what you can to get these piggies away from that school @Jude, you can do it ;) x
 
TheLottiediarys said:
Yes after some digging I have found your other thread about it,
Possibly it would have been better to continue this conversation on that thread?
Because I had no idea what you meant and now I do,

I think it's a hard one, because at the end or the day you can't control what the school is doing, all you can do is advise or offer to rehome the Guinea Pigs,

Maybe it is better to try to advise?
Because then the children at the school will learn right from wrong in guinea pig care based on the schools guinea pigs?
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Thanks for your reply. Sorry - I forgot about that thread. I have been torn in two over this - really have got stressed over it. Anyway, I sent a long email explaining my thoughts and offering to help rehome if that is what she decides. Not much I can do now but wait.
 
Tim said:
I totally agree that they should not go back, a school is no place for piggies. With interaction only a few hours a day and noisy too! No, just no. Two of ours are rescues from a school, poor boys were terrified for months before they calmed down :(
Do what you can to get these piggies away from that school @Jude, you can do it ;) x
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Thanks, Tim. :clap:That's what we found when we brought the girls home. They are about 5 months old and were terrified. Now they are in a routine and are being handled in a home environment every day - they are different pigs altogether. Still skittish but getting better every day.
 
Jude said:
Thanks, Tim. :clap:That's what we found when we brought the girls home. They are about 5 months old and were terrified. Now they are in a routine and are being handled in a home environment every day - they are different pigs altogether. Still skittish but getting better every day.
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It proves that piggies are family pets, not educational tools. If they wanted to educate children about animal welfare, they should use props instead. I've read somewhere that keeping animals in the classroom breaches animal welfare policies. It can't be healthy for the piggies to be passed around all the time. Poor mites :(
Paws crossed they stay with you! :nod: x
 
Tim said:
It proves that piggies are family pets, not educational tools. If they wanted to educate children about animal welfare, they should use props instead. I've read somewhere that keeping animals in the classroom breaches animal welfare policies. It can't be healthy for the piggies to be passed around all the time. Poor mites :(
Paws crossed they stay with you! :nod: x
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I'll keep you posted. Not sure what is worse - them being passed around in the classroom or being left outside in a hutch, with very little interaction and no-one keeping an eye on them during the evenings or weekends?! Which is the current set up :no::td:
 
It's a bit different then this situation because this is a school for I'm assuming primary or secondary school aged children,

But the college I went to had a vocational education site where the animal care students looks after a range of animals from horses and sheep to small furrys such as Rabbits and Guinea Pigs,
I know that's a things that schools/collages have,
There will always be places housing these animals and young people learning to muck them out and care for them.

But they might not be learning right which is such a shame,
An old friend of mine went on one of these such courses
And she ended up keeping her Hamster and also Guinea Pigs in a tiny pet store bought cages and that's a shame because it's learnt behaviour

Obviously any animal in need should be saved but we should also teach people the right way to look after pets and although I don't agree with classroom pets, the situation could be used to teach the right way to look after animals.
But maybe a 'show and tell' day from a good rescue would be better suited :)
 
Jude said:
I'll keep you posted. Not sure what is worse - them being passed around in the classroom or being left outside in a hutch, with very little interaction and no-one keeping an eye on them during the evenings or weekends?! Which is the current set up :no::td:
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I think the school needs educating! :hmm:
 
TheLottiediarys said:
It's a bit different then this situation because this is a school for I'm assuming primary or secondary school aged children,

But the college I went to had a vocational education site where the animal care students looks after a range of animals from horses and sheep to small furrys such as Rabbits and Guinea Pigs,
I know that's a things that schools/collages have,
There will always be places housing these animals and young people learning to muck them out and care for them.

But they might not be learning right which is such a shame,
An old friend of mine went on one of these such courses
And she ended up keeping her Hamster and also Guinea Pigs in a tiny pet store bought cages and that's a shame because it's learnt behaviour

Obviously any animal in need should be saved but we should also teach people the right way to look after pets and although I don't agree with classroom pets, the situation could be used to teach the right way to look after animals.
But maybe a 'show and tell' day from a good rescue would be better suited :)
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Its primary school age. I completely agree with you that in the right place, this is invaluable education for children and adults alike, to learn about animal care if they haven't had the privilege to have them in their lives. I used to work for the RSPCA and would rather educate than prosecute. However, you cannot 'unsee' something you've seen and I have to tread carefully because ultimately the person in charge is a good person who has, unfortunately, not thought this through and rushed into it; thought it would be great for the children but didn't really think about the animals. I have offered to meet with her before the start of term to talk it through, if she wants. If she does agree, I will suggest that, for a donation, our amazing local piggy rescue may come in for a 'show and tell' - which I think is a great idea :nod:
 
Just saying thanks to everyone responding - I really have been torn in two with this - waking up early in morning worrying! Bloomin' pigs get to you :)
 
Jude said:
Just saying thanks to everyone responding - I really have been torn in two with this - waking up early in morning worrying! Bloomin' pigs get to you :)
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Massive hugs ma dear! :hug::hug: xx
 
So would your end goal be to have the animals rehomed then?

Or would you be happy for them to keep the animals if they make appropriate changes?

I suppose the first option is the most ideal in this situation but it might not work out that way? :/
Hopefully it comes to a good ending for these animals :)
 
I would prefer it if they are rehomed but obviously I can't force her to do that. Fingers crossed. At the moment I've got the 4 pigs - maybe they'll get lost...
 
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@Jude go on with your little battle. Those piggies are yours now. No doubts! That project at school was wrong and impossible to manage. I hope the school understands. because if not, other piggies will be taken... and the story will start again.
You are a great person with a strong personality, I guess. I am sure that other parents will support you if you only start saying aloud what you think about this wrong idea at school. Usually people prefer being quiet, but not because they agree everything...
 
The biggest downside of school pets for very young children is the children start asking parents for the same pet at home. Unfortunately if the parent is new for caring for that type of pet then they tend to follow the schools care example for housing, food etc which is in most cases quite inaccurate and thus the cycle continues.
 
I had exactly this experience and ended up keeping the piggies, it was more complicated as one piggy was pregnant.
I ended up contacting the head teacher and advising him as to the potential veterinary costs long term. That did the trick and they let me keep them.
The RSPCA don't recommend animals in school of any type, children can be educated about animals in many other ways, their website gives lots of ideas for teachers.
 
my daughter is living as a guest with a lovely family in UK. She is at her Tutor's home, who asked me about my daughter's interests. Today they visited a sort of a farm or a rescue, I don't know. She sent me a lot of pictures of rabbits and guinea pigs! She could feed them... that is educative, not the pet at school who grows old, falls ill, needs a vet. A pet is a serious matter. When I was a child there was a female cat living in the garden of the school and when she was pregnant (very often!) she gave birth into the classrooms and we were misled of being "responsible" of her care. But actually kittens sometimes died (we used to plan a real funeral!) and I always wondered what sort of end the survived kittens had then, because they misteriously disappeared after a while... Now I am glad that pets are forbidden at school and even at the exit of the school. Dogs wait into the cars or at home.
The message we got from primary school was: "look at how cute the kittens are! and when they grow up or when there are holidays, you can get rid of them; and if you have a female cat, don't neuter her because it is a waste of money"
 
Hope you get them! My pigs were from a second hand store where the man would just say that if one got sick simply crack the neck and put it in the trash. My two girls were housed in a plastic terrarium about 1ft x 2 ft. With 11 other pigs. When we brought them home it took forever for them too get comfortable and feel safe.

I really wish people could see the error in their ways and shape up or rehome.

I really hope you get them and they have a better life if not.
 
BlueVictorian said:
Hope you get them! My pigs were from a second hand store where the man would just say that if one got sick simply crack the neck and put it in the trash. My two girls were housed in a plastic terrarium about 1ft x 2 ft. With 11 other pigs. When we brought them home it took forever for them too get comfortable and feel safe.

I really wish people could see the error in their ways and shape up or rehome.

I really hope you get them and they have a better life if not.
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I can't understand the reason why humans feel the need of showing to the world how cruel they can be... a man who simply cracks the neck... some relative of mine who long ago used to throw unwanted kitten into the toilet flow... and so on... Humans have a wrong gene for sure! A cruel act should be considered a shame, something to be hidden. But no, the human being talks...
and the human brain has so brilliant ideas sometimes... look at this cage left on a road in Rome, quite near my district:
20638218_10212055849225366_5677187413878003969_n.webp
two days ago, 42°C and this intelligent human (to whom I wish the worst end) left a cage wrapped in a plastic bag!! with a poor rabbit inside, the usual Christmas rabbit bought to the little daughter... so that she can learn to be "responsible". Then summer holidays arrive...
The rabbit was found dead...
And also my two piggies were left at the rescue into a cage wrapped with cellophan!! what kind of stuff is there into human skulls?
These are the consequence of an irresponsible act, such as please the children who "want the pet"...:cen:
 
rome_italy said:
I can't understand the reason why humans feel the need of showing to the world how cruel they can be... a man who simply cracks the neck... some relative of mine who long ago used to throw unwanted kitten into the toilet flow... and so on... Humans have a wrong gene for sure! A cruel act should be considered a shame, something to be hidden. But no, the human being talks...
and the human brain has so brilliant ideas sometimes... look at this cage left on a road in Rome, quite near my district:
View attachment 68223
two days ago, 42°C and this intelligent human (to whom I wish the worst end) left a cage wrapped in a plastic bag! with a poor rabbit inside, the usual Christmas rabbit bought to the little daughter... so that she can learn to be "responsible". Then summer holidays arrive...
The rabbit was found dead...
And also my two piggies were left at the rescue into a cage wrapped with cellophan! what kind of stuff is there into human skulls?
These are the consequence of an irresponsible act, such as please the children who "want the pet"...:cen:
Click to expand...

Oh that poor bunny it must have been so hot in all that heat even without the plastic bag increasing the temperature!
 
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