J
Jillybean
Have just been looking at the Trade It on-line for Bristol area and couldn't believe how many guinea-pigs are for sale. It saddens me so much, people must be breeding them in the run-up to Christmas :tickedoff:
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there is not just piggies for sale,Most of the rescues are full to bursting and we are still being contacted to take more.
I have had a call asking to help with a rabbit and a piggy living together when I said i was full but would see if i could help after the holidays, his words where "we want rid before Christmas"
I have had a call asking to help with a rabbit and a piggy living together when I said i was full but would see if i could help after the holidays, his words where "we want rid before Christmas"
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spudnik
in my local paper there are a few 'make great xmas presents' its horrible, i always feel so sad when they post notices for dogs/cats in rescue/kennels saying 'limited time in kennels' although this time of year is the wrong time to do so as people buy on impulse and get rid after a few weeks 
poor animals are shipped around from pillar to post
poor animals are shipped around from pillar to post
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Damonshumanslave
Jillybean, I've seen them all too. Its horrible. Do you live in Bristol?
daftscotslass
Senior Guinea Pig
I hate this time of year. It's when people decide they can't be bothered going out into the cold to care for their rabbits and guinea pigs so they want to offload them onto other people. This time in 4-8 weeks it will be "my children got bored of them" after Christmas. Charming, innit?
Vikki
Adult Guinea Pig
Makes me really :tickedoff: all the adverts and such, the attitude that these little lives are dispensible on a whim makes me :'(
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Mahooli
The same is happening with dogs, the Poodle rescue I support had 5 in in just a couple of days, a Boxer rescue up north has had a request for over 15 in one week and yet there are loads of adverts for dogs ready for Christmas >
Becky
Becky
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Damonshumanslave
It is heartbreaking. I wish I could help them. :'(
J
Jillybean
No, I'm in Wiltshire but the Bristol edition is the nearest big Trade It to us.Damonshumanslave said:
I really wish that the novelty of pet ownership would wear off and that just those who were really interested in it as a proper hobby would do it. I do think that people think buying a pet is the easy option for a gift - they buy the animal cheap in the paper and a tiny starter kit from the petshop and hey presto, sorted.
Wish this new Animal Welfare law could address the problem seriously although I don't know what a solution would be.
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Mahooli
The new Animal Welfare Act does address the problem it just isn't enforced and that's where the problem is!
Becky
Becky
daftscotslass
Senior Guinea Pig
Mahooli said:
No, it doesn't. It doesn't address the problem that pet shops will sell to anyone and everyone that wants to make a purchase of an animal. They do absolutely nothing to discourage impulse buying as long as money is involved. There has been NO update to pet shop legislation (yet) and there is NO legislation regulating breeders other than duty of care. Both of these areas need to be targeted and not just for cat and dog breeders as has been the case up until now.
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Damonshumanslave
Even if the Animal Welfare Act did address the issues, it wouldnt be enforced. Most people dont even know the Animal Welfare Act exists. People need to be made aware.
i've reported a couple of ads on norwich gumtree for xmas pugs and rabbits for christmas as they are inappropriate for time of year sad really
aand the number of people that are shocked when i say i have 19 guineas most of which are rescued
and the looks iget when i mentionmy fosterlings
aand the number of people that are shocked when i say i have 19 guineas most of which are rescued
and the looks iget when i mentionmy fosterlings
summerleaze
Adult Guinea Pig
roninnorfolk said:
I know how you feel, people are so suprised when I say I run a guinea pig rescue, the first thing they say is "Do guinea pigs need rescuing" 98)
Sometimes I feel that I'm living in a parallel unniverse to other people, there isn't much joined up thinking with Jo Public sometimes, so many people can't see / don't want to see the connection between breeding, pet shops and rescue. It doesn't matter what time of the year it is either, people will always justify their actions somehow. Makes me so mad :tickedoff: :tickedoff:
sqeeker
Adult Guinea Pig
spudnik said:in my local paper there are a few 'make great xmas presents' its horrible, i always feel so sad when they post notices for dogs/cats in rescue/kennels saying 'limited time in kennels' although this time of year is the wrong time to do so as people buy on impulse and get rid after a few weeks
i think this is terrible how can people have such little respect for animals.
People need to look beyond the cute little bundle of fluffs! They are all gorgeous and maybe that is their downfall. People don't think that they need cleaning regularly, feed veggies, pellets and hay and need attention. They just think oh we'll stick it in a cage they will be ok.
If only it were that simple! You have to be in it for the long haul, if you can't commit then don't get the animal whatever it is! :tickedoff:
If only it were that simple! You have to be in it for the long haul, if you can't commit then don't get the animal whatever it is! :tickedoff:
sqeeker
Adult Guinea Pig
i totally agry, makes me feel sick inside when i read these things in the paper about whatever animal it is that has been abused or hurt by there owners some people should not be aloud to have pets.
the thing is the peope get away with it with just a fine and then six months later they go out and buy another animal it makes me mad :tickedoff:
> >
the thing is the peope get away with it with just a fine and then six months later they go out and buy another animal it makes me mad :tickedoff:
>
>sqeeker
Adult Guinea Pig
i totally agry, makes me feel sick inside when i read these things in the paper about whatever animal it is that has been abused or hurt by there owners some people should not be aloud to have pets.
the thing is the peope get away with it with just a fine and then six months later they go out and buy another animal it makes me mad :tickedoff:
> >
the thing is the peope get away with it with just a fine and then six months later they go out and buy another animal it makes me mad :tickedoff:
>
>
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Jillybean
I've been thinking about what could be done to try and stop the problem. I reckon one thing would be if the RSPCA ran TV adverts which listed how long a pet lives, what it costs weekly, what it's likely to cost in vets bills, how often they need cleaning out etc etc and for it to be quite a shocking advert - like show the conditions that a lot of pet rabbits end up in, how small the hutches are, stress what their lives must be like, how many end up in rescue and how the rescues get overrun. The advert would have to make people stop and take notice and make them think and not 'cute and cuddly' which would end up making people, especially kids, want them. I don't suppose the RSPCA have the money to do this though ...
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Damonshumanslave
Probably not. Its a great idea, but I bet it would cost a fortune. :-\
N
neep_neep
Damonshumanslave said:
I'm pretty certain their HQ has the funds for it! Bear in mind that money people donate to the RSPCA does not get sent to the shelters who are doing the hard work... unless the person donating the money specifies it must go there.
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jom
i think jillybeans idea is fantastic. People dont realise guinea pigs live for so long and need so much space. Rabbits are not cuddly friendly cheap pets people think. they need neutering\spayed, as much exercise as a small dog and innoculations.
daftscotslass
Senior Guinea Pig
It would also only cover England and Wales if the RSPCA were to do so. There is a huge problem with homeless animals in Scotland and I'm sure in Northern Ireland. The SSPCA had some pretty effective adverts on people getting bored of their dogs and throwing them out, just a pity they can't do the same for smaller animals.
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karenrgpr
If you donate to a branch it goes towards helping animals in that area. So, animals that are in their care and vet bills, food, any funds needed to do fund raising days (though normally the volunteers will donate as much as possible to this). We have just had a Welfare day and the vet vouchers were partly paid for by the Branch and some by HQ. HQ paid for all the stationary (leaflets- care and publicity) we needed, though I printed my own too.
When you donate to HQ I think it goes towards farming campaigns etc and overseas campaigns. I'm not sure who pays legal fees, Inspector and ACOs wages, maintenance for vehicles, training for Inspectors and ACOs.
Any money we took on our Welfare Day was put back into Branch funds not HQ.
When you donate to HQ I think it goes towards farming campaigns etc and overseas campaigns. I'm not sure who pays legal fees, Inspector and ACOs wages, maintenance for vehicles, training for Inspectors and ACOs.
Any money we took on our Welfare Day was put back into Branch funds not HQ.
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maisynpoppy
what about the txts you can send? i heard simon cowells voice and had to send 3 txts ;D who will get that money?
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neep_neep
As far as i'm aware, if you donate to the RSPCA as a general entity, the money goes to HQ.
If you donate to individual branches, then obviously they will get the money
If you donate to individual branches, then obviously they will get the money
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maisynpoppy
oh, but that money is still well spent right?
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neep_neep
I guess it depends entirely on your definition of 'well' 
They spend it on a lot of things - I guess it's up to the individual to judge for themselves whether they think it is the best use of finances.
If you Google 'What do the RSPCA spend money on', you'll come up with all sorts of sites. But then again, with that type of issue you can expect a bit of bias...I think that more people make websites because they hold a grudge, rather than to offer support.
For the unbiased run down of exactly what the money is spent on, you can go to the Charities Commission homepage. This gives details of the accounts of the individual branches, as well as the HQ. Makes for rather boring reading though :
It's crazy though when you see their annual turnover - Jan 2006, income of £105,507,486 :o and they spent £95,491,000 of that. And that's just HQ (charity number 219099 if you want to take a peek yourself), not the branches...
For comparison, the Bedfordshire South branch had an income of £33,066 in 2006, but with expenditure of £38,031. Again, you can view the accounts for a breakdown of income and expenditure, the individual branch ones are a little easier to dissect
They spend it on a lot of things - I guess it's up to the individual to judge for themselves whether they think it is the best use of finances.
If you Google 'What do the RSPCA spend money on', you'll come up with all sorts of sites. But then again, with that type of issue you can expect a bit of bias...I think that more people make websites because they hold a grudge, rather than to offer support.
For the unbiased run down of exactly what the money is spent on, you can go to the Charities Commission homepage. This gives details of the accounts of the individual branches, as well as the HQ. Makes for rather boring reading though :
It's crazy though when you see their annual turnover - Jan 2006, income of £105,507,486 :o and they spent £95,491,000 of that. And that's just HQ (charity number 219099 if you want to take a peek yourself), not the branches...
For comparison, the Bedfordshire South branch had an income of £33,066 in 2006, but with expenditure of £38,031. Again, you can view the accounts for a breakdown of income and expenditure, the individual branch ones are a little easier to dissect
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