You are totally right, Teresa. I haven't been around in the "
Cavy World" for very long. So, I'm trying to learn as much as I can.
Thank you for explaining the importance of the ACBA, I knew what it was just not to the extent that it held that much control.
So, now my thinking is -- well, then something needs to be done to change the "boss" before we can ever expect to see change in the "workers", or however you want to phrase that, :-).
So, perhaps in giving our support to the good, responsible breeders (if they do exist, which IMHO, they do--but I will keep doing research) we should be supporting those trying to change the standards and laws through organizations, such as the ACBA. Maybe, more effort needs to be put into trying to -- yeah, in some way support those few responsible breeders by supporting their, and our, ethics and standards.
Maybe if the whole
Cavy community pulls together, and we all take a stand for what we so strongly believe, we can make some changes--so that someday, the responsible breeders which you now call idyllic, will be standard according to the ACBA. Sure, it sounds impossible. And I'm sure that much has been done on this front. But, I suppose our work isn't done.
I don't know Teresa, I just really, truly have this desire to see the way animals are "manufactured" to cease, and instead see people dedicate their lives, much like you have done, to save, to better, to make amends. And, I do think its possible. Our society wasn't ALWAYS at this point. There were days where, animals were kept on large open ranges, and people raised their own chickens for eggs and for meat. None of this factory farming. There was respect for the animal. Seems like America has totally lost sight of that. And, I want it to change.
You know, we can all do our own part and try to "take a stand". I became a vegetarian, and work for a rescue. You started your own rescue. Many people on this forum have boycotted petshops and now rescue all of their pets. And that is beautiful. But its not enough. We have to do something as a community, a team, a group of individuals who know that something has gone terribly wrong and it needs to stop NOW. I'm totally not surprised anymore when I hear about people being murdered and the homeless freezing to death. You want to know why? Because our Nation can't even manage to care for its animals. How in the world are people supposed to care about other human beings, if they can't care about animals?
I guess I'm just rambling. But, I understand where you are coming from now. I do think that we aren't doing enough. That if this is what is right --animals being bred for the sole purpose of medical betterment of the breed-- then we need to do something about it. And, something as a community. Write letters, go on petstore/breeder strikes, get the media involved, get our voices heard. Something that people can't ignore. Something.