Shocked in PAH

[Scooby& Shaggy]

Was in PAH today getting some bits n bobs for the boys.
As me and my gf were looking around heard someone ask about the baby guineas. At first it sounded like they wanted to know how old they were in the shop before being sold.
Turns out they were asking if pets at home would by baby guinea pigs and if so at what age.
The people went onto say they got them from PAH and now have around twenty.
So I asked how long they'd had them thinking they'd been sold a mis-sexed pair.
They'd had them 6 months. They had bought a boy from one store and a girl from another with the intention of breeding them.... WTF!
Complete and utter idiots, they were pulling their faces that the store wouldn't buy them. They had no clue at what age they needed to be seperated from mum.
So no doubt these poor piggies will be inbred with, I couldn't believe how blasé they were about breeding them. No doubt they will end up dumped somewhere, but even then it will more than likely be in better conditions than what they are currently experiencing.
Rant over

 

[fanniephina]

I haven't run into anyone whom would willingly do this thankfully but have run into some rather idiotic things when dealing with guinea pigs and especially pet stores. Actually, I now have a friend whom is a manager at a local pet store. She loves guinea pigs and is very knowledgeable but can't be against her products as per store policy. This frustrates her no end. She has called me against store policy for a couple of my guinea pigs when they first came in as she had concerns about the homes that could care for them and some issues to see if I would take them in. But she can't advise to go against the tiny cages they have nor advise for better pellets then they sell (another thing she has an issue with).

The only thing I've heard from a few people in a pet store is literally, "Not a female! They multiply!" lol. Thankfully :-)

 

[Scooby& Shaggy]

I haven't run into anyone whom would willingly do this thankfully but have run into some rather idiotic things when dealing with guinea pigs and especially pet stores. Actually, I now have a friend whom is a manager at a local pet store. She loves guinea pigs and is very knowledgeable but can't be against her products as per store policy. This frustrates her no end. She has called me against store policy for a couple of my guinea pigs when they first came in as she had concerns about the homes that could care for them and some issues to see if I would take them in. But she can't advise to go against the tiny cages they have nor advise for better pellets then they sell (another thing she has an issue with).

The only thing I've heard from a few people in a pet store is literally, "Not a female! They multiply!" lol. Thankfully :-)

In fairness the people at PAH were abit shocked by the people as well.
But it's not just piggies, when I parked up there was a flashy Merc parked up with 3 kids in side youngest looked about 2 eldest looked about 7. I asked the people at PAH to radio the retail security but by the time we got out they had gone.
Just a crazy world where people live kids in their cars and other people breed animals with no clue as to what they are doing.

 

[Flutterby]

Stuff like this drives me mad!

 

[VickiA]

Sadly there is no end to people’s casual attitude to piggies. To think that they’d intentionally bred from them and were looking to profit from the sale of babies is awful.

If you ever come across this again, best thing to do is bite your tongue and politely suggest that they contact a nearby rescue to help sex them , separate the babies, the males and the pregnant sows and to help stop the situation getting any worse.

 

[Scooby& Shaggy]

Sadly there is no end to people’s casual attitude to piggies. To think that they’d intentionally bred from them and were looking to profit from the sale of babies is awful.

If you ever come across this again, best thing to do is bite your tongue and politely suggest that they contact a nearby rescue to help sex them , separate the babies, the males and the pregnant sows and to help stop the situation getting any worse.

Not being dramatic but I was dumbfounded, it's like when someone winds you up and initially you're left abit speechless and then it hits you later. That's how it was.
All afternoon I was thinking I should have said this or I should have said that. I normally offer abit if advice when in PAH around the guinea pigs, just obvious stuff "no, they are not good pets for a two year old" etc etc, but I'd never come across this level of idiocy before, hopefully I'll see them in there again at somepoint and be able to approach them in a calm and freindly manner.
I would have thought they would have done a tiny bit of research first though. I've been looking on local selling sites to try and find them but so far no luck. I'll keep trying though.

 

[fanniephina]

I happened across a story today that shocked me and left me upset. No need to go into as it is very upsetting and not even sure where it happened but it did involve the consequence of a couple guinea pigs whom were bred and thoughtlessly given away. These kind of things happen so often.

I have 2 chihuahuas and my first one came from a place in Europe that I was unaware even existed. She was treated horribly and I had to leave others. whom were in horrid conditions. My husband tried to report this to the region whom sent us to ASL but, as far as we knew, there was no further action against the people we got her from and when we went back to check, everything had been cleared out. She spent months in different vets all over Rome with many different problems and treatments. Anything from animals (chihuahuas and guinea pigs of course hit much closer to home) that can leave a person feeling helpless to be able to change it is, very sadly, so common.

I'm older now and see my young adults at home becoming active in trying to change wrongs. I try to do what I can and then try to put these aside for the rest of the day in taking care of my family then take on the next moments of helpless feelings (something that is happening more frequently in the world we live in).

It sounds as if you are doing a lot (along with so many wonderful people on this forum-spreading information and being involved being the first large help in this); it's so good to know that is the other part of our changing world. How many people still care and try to change things.

Remember that there is much you can do but then there's a time to just think to the next help and solution as you can't take on the stress of thinking to this. It won't help to keep feeling this way. You will do a lot to help and it's all you can do for the moment.

 

[thisissiri]

I used to work in a pet store here in England (don't wanna say which one in case i'm found ) and it would distress me so much having to sell the animals. I did my best to make sure they were well, taken care of, and happy. It was difficult to say the least and I just wanted to take them all home with me and make sure they were okay. Some of the customers you would have to sell them to.... it would be difficult to just smile in the face of danger and tell them what the store told me to say. Thankfully at this particular store, we were given some leeway with refusing to sell them if we didn't think they would be adequately cared for. We even had to check they had the right size hutch/cage etc.

Still, it doesn't stop you being shocked by the people who want to take on these animals and have no idea what goes into caring for them.

 

[Merab]

We cannot change the whole world but as each one of speaks and tries to make a difference where we can then it will be like ripples in a pond spreading outwards.
The more we talk about guinea pig care and speak out for animal welfare then more piggies will end up having better lives.
So fellow slaves - let’s all do our bit and together we will change the world.

 

[Freela]

It's super frustrating. I know so many people who are 'backyard breeders' (more dogs that guinea pigs in my case) who just buy two dogs of the same breed, have litters, and then sell them online. They don't really make any money because they aren't purebred dogs and thus can't be sold for large amounts, plus you still have to feed them and care for them until they go to new homes. The last person I know who did this was basically giving dogs away because she couldn't find homes for the whole litter of nine puppies. Even though she basically had to give them away, she is thinking of breeding them again, mainly because 'puppies are cute.' Makes me want to punch a wall.