My husband and I are looking at getting ourselves some guinea pigs this Christmas, assuming our landlord is alright with them! We have a no pet policy, but I'm hoping they will be alright with guinea pigs as they are caged and can't destroy property like a cat or dog might when left alone. But on to my question!
First of all, we are going to get the guinea pigs themselves from our local SPCA. I see no need to buy them whenamy need homes! Especially since so many pet stores mistreat their animals
But that also makes it difficult to want to buy ANYTHING from a pet store. You don't want to support them, even if you're not buying the animals, but buying their product. That being said, we have one pet store nearby that I think may be a pet store I don't mind supporting. I wanted your thoughts on it:
1. They have two different locations, one much further from me, but they split their males and females so that one store has only males, the other only females. (I don't know if they still have accidental sexings though)
2. They don't sell any puppies or kittens from mills, they only foster them from the local shelter to re home! You can see some of their cats and get a back story on their temperament and how they were rescued. Usually older cats, but occasionally kittens from rescued pregnant cats. They don't do dogs, only because they don't have the proper space for them. I don't know where they get their smaler animals however. They do re-home any small animals that people abandon that they bought from their shop though! They don't just throw them at the shelter. They often offer discounted cages and free supplies to their re-homed pets that have been returned.
3. They have all the proper things in each animals cage. What really clued me in was the rats! They actually had things to climb, proper hammocks and hidey holes. All the animals had proper food options, proper substrate, etc. They get fresh veggies twice a day (the ones that eat them). The cages still are on the small side though... I know they should be bigger for some of these animals. They do take animals out into bigger runs though occasionally, but I don't know if its often enough for them. Browsing their food they actually have some do the best brands, but do sell some of the stuff not as good for your pets, even if they don't use it for their animals.
4. They split apart animals that start fighting... If a hamster or gerbil or guinea reaches adolescence and doesn't get along they make sure it has its own space.
5. They frequently clean the cages/habitats, but their is still a large animal smell. Not sure if its bad for the animals, or unavoidable in a pet store with so many! The cages are also open to the public... You can pick up and handle them any time. They have staff to help! It makes for much more social animals that are stimulated, but not sure if it isn't TOO much for them. The story is never over crowded though, so maybe it's balanced.
So, would you guys consider this, at least, a better pet shop? I'd love to be able to support them I'd they are and buy supplies here. I've even considered adopting a guinea pig from them if they get in a rescue that needs a new furever home!
First of all, we are going to get the guinea pigs themselves from our local SPCA. I see no need to buy them whenamy need homes! Especially since so many pet stores mistreat their animals
But that also makes it difficult to want to buy ANYTHING from a pet store. You don't want to support them, even if you're not buying the animals, but buying their product. That being said, we have one pet store nearby that I think may be a pet store I don't mind supporting. I wanted your thoughts on it:1. They have two different locations, one much further from me, but they split their males and females so that one store has only males, the other only females. (I don't know if they still have accidental sexings though)
2. They don't sell any puppies or kittens from mills, they only foster them from the local shelter to re home! You can see some of their cats and get a back story on their temperament and how they were rescued. Usually older cats, but occasionally kittens from rescued pregnant cats. They don't do dogs, only because they don't have the proper space for them. I don't know where they get their smaler animals however. They do re-home any small animals that people abandon that they bought from their shop though! They don't just throw them at the shelter. They often offer discounted cages and free supplies to their re-homed pets that have been returned.
3. They have all the proper things in each animals cage. What really clued me in was the rats! They actually had things to climb, proper hammocks and hidey holes. All the animals had proper food options, proper substrate, etc. They get fresh veggies twice a day (the ones that eat them). The cages still are on the small side though... I know they should be bigger for some of these animals. They do take animals out into bigger runs though occasionally, but I don't know if its often enough for them. Browsing their food they actually have some do the best brands, but do sell some of the stuff not as good for your pets, even if they don't use it for their animals.
4. They split apart animals that start fighting... If a hamster or gerbil or guinea reaches adolescence and doesn't get along they make sure it has its own space.
5. They frequently clean the cages/habitats, but their is still a large animal smell. Not sure if its bad for the animals, or unavoidable in a pet store with so many! The cages are also open to the public... You can pick up and handle them any time. They have staff to help! It makes for much more social animals that are stimulated, but not sure if it isn't TOO much for them. The story is never over crowded though, so maybe it's balanced.
So, would you guys consider this, at least, a better pet shop? I'd love to be able to support them I'd they are and buy supplies here. I've even considered adopting a guinea pig from them if they get in a rescue that needs a new furever home!