Would this be a good idea?

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Whispa5

Whispa5

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Hiya
I have to visit the dreaded p@h regularly(for food etc) and the adoption centre got me thinking. I know a lot of the animals in there are perfectly fine and are"too old to sell" or some other rubbish like that, but would rehoming the guinea pigs that have more needs be a good idea? Like blind ones and ones that will take a long time to rehome because of their problems, or will not get the care they need. What do you guys think of this idea because my mum says she is happy for me to do it, but i was wondering if i should just stick to rescues?
Thanks
Xx
 
Sorry, can't advise you but it is a lovely idea. So long as you have all the resources / cash for upkeep vets etc and time it would take. Regardless if you go this route or stick to rescues, you're giving a much needed home
 
I think your very kind to do that to be honest, just be careful with the health side of things, no one would want to see you end up with sky high vet bills.
Whether or not its a good idea is a matter of opinion to he honest, some will argue that you should stick to rescue and to give those who have had a poor start in life a loving home and that by taking the adoption animals in pets at home you are freeing up a space for new stock, thus feeding the shops need to return to the breeder and the cycle continues.
Many will say your still giving an animal a much needed home so what does it matter where they come from?
I'm afraid I sit on the fence, I can see the pros and cons, I wish I could have more myself, just do what you feel is right x
 
are the "blind ones" there because of the continuous breeding practice of the suppliers to the pet shops, are the sick needy ones there for the same reason and much as it pulls on heart strings to feel like you are truely "rescuing" them, you are mearly buying substandard stock. Can you afford the vet bills and the heart ache taking on ill and sick animals that shouldnt be sold to the general public realistically, they are not selling them because that is breach of trading standards so they go in the "adoption center"

I saw on a visit there a group of 4 pigs, had come in because the owner couldnt keep them, a neutered boar and 3 females, all long haired and in a cage not even big enough for 1 pig let alone the 4 of them. I know these pigs would require more care than short coats, I know anyone can just go in and pay for them, take them home and maybe someone who actually knew what they were doing would take them home, care for them properly etc. But I am afraid they are not a rescue, they do not health check their adoption stock, they do not home check or offer life time back up to the adopted out stock and simply are there to make money as a supermarket that happens to sell pet products.

Again, its completely up to you what you do with your money, but sadly much as your heart might be in the right place, theirs might not be.
 
Pigs going from the "for sale" pen to the "adoption" pen at P@H is no different to goods in a supermarket going from the shelf to the reduced section because they're a bit damaged or a bit near their expiry date.
 
I'm too tired from cleaning out 50 pigs to be very diplomatic. Perhaps I am better off closing my doors and stuffing all my pigs in P@H so that those that don't even think to home from a proper rescue might actually look at them.

I've had it with people who think P@H AC is a rescue and I know there'll be the 'every pig deserves a home' posts, there always is when anyone says use a real rescue. I have dozens of pigs that deserve a home too - just like every other rescue in the network.

It's SO disheartening when members of a rescue friendly forum don't rescue.

If my post upsets you, tough - I'm tired of biting my tongue when I slog my guts out every day clearing up after that damned store.
 
I would like to say here i am only 12, and many of my pigs are rescue, but i thought it was a nice idea. I didnt think it would upset some of you. Sorry.
 
now i know this is a biggy, but please bear with me...

i know your heart is in the right place and you have good intentions, but please try a local rescue centre,
as the others have said (& i hadn't really considered it in the supermarket bargain basement sense before, but very true) the legitamate rescues are not for profit, they only try & cover their costs through donations or fees. They work tirelessly for the love of the animals in their care, usually reaping no reward but the satisfaction of happy , healthy, cared for pigs.

They always have after rehoming backup care & some help with nail trimming, dental problems, etc. They usually have background info if available of any health issues & recommendations on how to sort health problems that may reoccour.

Most Rehoming centres have poorly pigs that they are trying to nurse back to health, and past experience to prevent worsening or spreading of illness diseases. Most pet shops just try & sell them so that they are not their problem & they dont have to pay to treat them.

Or in supermarket terms, you dont just buy the ingredients. the rescue provides you with the ingredients, recipe, how to prepare, store, cook & reveal the creme de la creme of guinea pig ownership.

How about contacting one of the local rescues on here or try this link http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?19-Rescue-amp-Rehoming

:) perhaps you could foster for a proper rescue centre, just to give you & you're mum an idea what you are letting yourself in for?
Special needs Piggies are hard work... very rewarding.. but definately hard work. this may also give the rescue centre a bit of a hand, as your using your time concentrating on the foster piggies, rather than the rescue centre. You would also have the support if needed close at hand.

I am relatively new to this forum, but there seems to be a knowledgable, network of experience on here that i am sure would guide you in the right direction if you were to rehome special needs piggies, but as SuzyGPR suggests she has to constantly mop up after P@H.

'P@H = profit making piggy production line pigs' half the staff probably have no idea on aftercare of these wonderful little creatures & no idea of diseases, symptoms, medications, housing, feeding & nutrition of them. i wonder how many pet stores know about the consequences of roan x roan breeding/ lethals, etc? but many of these proper rescue centres, know the problems & often have affected piggies to look after.

Please don't fall into the pet shop breeding trap of any store. I'm sure there is a link here for rescue centres, the chances are there is one locally to you.

?/ If one of the other members could post a rescue centre link, please have a look.

Good luck in finding proper rescue pigs, they need all the loving homes they can find.
 
Whispa5 said:
I would like to say here i am only 12, and many of my pigs are rescue, but i thought it was a nice idea. I didnt think it would upset some of you. Sorry.
Click to expand...

At least you asked the question & didnt just dive in, that goes a good way towards responsible pet ownership. Good for you, keep it up. Good Luck. xx
 
I would just like to add and this goes for anyone and any animal, before taking on a special needs animal, there are a lot of things to consider and I don't just mean vets bills.

You have to think about the accommodation you can provide to suit that animals needs as well as the temperament of any other animals she / he will live with.

for example, I would love to take in a blind piggy but in hind side, I know this wouldn't be fair. My pigs live in a 6ft shed so I obviously can not watch them 24:7 As much as my four love each other (including new boy Enoch), they will happily push and shove each other out of the way for food. All my piggies manage to get the same amount of food but would you be able to make sure a special needs piggy gets the same amount of food as their potential friends etc? Would you be able to provide a safe environment so a special needs piggy could have excercise without getting injured? Would you be able to inject an animal if they needed daily injections in the long term, provide eye treatment etc?

I am not putting a dampner on your ideas and like I say, this goes for anybody and any animal but it is just something to think about.
 
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I know everyone has very strong views but please bear in mind the original poster is a young member of the forum.
 
sport_billy - you beat me to it. Very well put.
 
Hi,

I happen to know that Milhaven GPR's vet bill for this month alone was over £900, due to poorly piggies and those with special needs.

This is not because she has over 88 piggies in the rescue at the moment, ONE piggy alone cost over £500 this month due to his health issues. She gets no funding whatsoever, as most guinea pig rescues don't, and every penny has to come from her own pocket.

Would your mum support you in financing possible bills such as this? It is definately something to consider when thinking of taking in piggies with special needs.
 
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