Why can't breeders breed and rescue?

[Ontariocavy]

I know that sometimes breeders give you something to sign saying "If there is ever any problem or you do not want or not able to care for the (animal) please bring it back to me"When i rescued my rats from a rat rescue i had to sign a fourm like that.

[VoodooJoint]

Rescues and breeders are two very different things. Rescues do not breed, ever. They are in it for the welfare of the animals so usually have an adoption contract.

Few breeders do anything like that. I'm certain there are a few that do but normally a breeder does not much care what happens to the animal after they sell it.

[CavyKind]

I was looking at a small "poster" the other day about a local breeder/rescuer in our area. And surprise, surprise, as my friend pointed out ~ all guinea pigs on their re-homing list are also bred by them...my, my what an incredible coincidence...

Just confirms what we always knew.
Barbara

[VoodooJoint]

Originally Posted by CavyKind

I was looking at a small "poster" the other day about a local breeder/rescuer in our area. And surprise, surprise, as my friend pointed out ~ all guinea pigs on their re-homing list are also bred by them...my, my what an incredible coincidence...

Just confirms what we always knew.
Barbara

Any chance you could get a copy or a good photo of this poster? Physical proof always helps.

[applelady]

I have a question, or more of just maybe me wondering. I completely agree that you should adopt vs buy. We just can't turn our backs on those in need. But the thing is as long as their are stupid people who just decide 'I want a guinea pig" there will be people buying them, because A that's just what's easiest, and B they don't know any better. I bought my first as I didn't know any better til I got home and did my research. So pretty much as long as their are first timers isn't there going to be a market for Guinea pigs? I mean, we are all doing wht we know is best but is it ever going to stop? Reguardless of our efforts? As long as people are willing to plunk that money down on the counter then the business will stay open. It's incredibly sad, but isn't that the truth of it? And as far as really getting the message out there so people will change, I have to wonder, are there enough people in the world who care enough about Guinea pigs? Most people I know think they are just rodents and don't understand why I love them so, so what do they care if they are still being sold?

I sincerely hope that someday there is an end to this, but sometimes I wonder if we are just spinnign our wheels. I read in another post where this was compared to slavery, and women's rights, the difference is black people are humans, so all humans could be reached on that level, and most women wanted the right to vote, so you had a much larger outpouring of those that cared. Can we really expect the world to change for the so few of us who really care? I hope the answer is true, but what I want to know is do we have a plan for this and what is it?

[standuprookie]

we really expect the world to change for the so few of us who really care?

There are way more than a few people who care about animal rights there are many people and many organizations that are made just for animal welfare.

[fourbwabbys]

And it's not that we just don't want them to sell animals, that's just a part of it. It's the cruelty the animals have to experience for the store to make a buck. As long as there are animal cruelty organizations, the stores will be prosecuted.

[Ly&Pigs]

I completely agree that you should adopt vs buy. We just can't turn our backs on those in need. But the thing is as long as their are stupid people who just decide 'I want a guinea pig" there will be people buying them,

I doubt you completely agree on the adopt vs. buy point because from what I understand, you went to the petstore and bought your recent pig.

[applelady]

I do believe that, first of all, it wasn't that I didn't want to adopt, it's that I live in an area where it is not as available to me and my single pig NEEDED a buddy. His needs came first in that decision, not my personal beliefs. I think that some of us are forgetting that we truly care for these animals and are putting principle in front of caring for animals which should be the bottom line. And secondly, I believe that the Gp I purchased deserved to live in a good home BEFORE he ended up in a shelter, not the other way around. Me refusing him would not reverse the fact that he dide indeed exist.

[fourbwabbys]

Sure, you think you 'saved' that pig, but you gave the store permission to buy two more to put in its place. How would he end up in a shelter? You said there are no shelters near you.

[hydrohoki]

Originally Posted by applelady

I sincerely hope that someday there is an end to this, but sometimes I wonder if we are just spinnign our wheels.

If we give up, we'll never know the anwser to this.

Just because lots of people don't think a single person can change the world doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

I will personally never see the results of much of what I work for, yet without my work there is no chance of those results existing. Perhaps someday there will be no homeless boys in the city I work in, but for now 20 more have a place to sleep at night. I can't just give up on them, and I can't give up on pigs either.

[applelady]

We have shelters, they just don't know how to care for small animals and therefor, more often than not, euthanize them. reguardless of whether I bought him or not, they still would have sold him, probably to a less caring home, and would have purchased the other two you mentioned.

[TheQueen]

Originally Posted by applelady

We have shelters, they just don't know how to care for small animals and therefor, more often than not, euthanize them. reguardless of whether I bought him or not, they still would have sold him, probably to a less caring home, and would have purchased the other two you mentioned.

So you bought a pig from a pet store to save it from a less caring home, sentencing the next two the pet store buys to two more less caring homes, and more pigs being bred to continue this deadly chain, in addition to sentencing a pig from the "bad" shelters near you to euthanasia. Hm.

[Ly&Pigs]

I do believe that, first of all, it wasn't that I didn't want to adopt, it's that I live in an area where it is not as available to me and my single pig NEEDED a buddy. His needs came first in that decision, not my personal beliefs.

They way I see this is that you put "convenience" above your beliefs. He could have waited a bit for a buddy.

[standuprookie]

His needs came first in that decision, not my personal beliefs.

What about the needs of the two pigs from the mill they replace him with?

it's that I live in an area where it is not as available to me

My town is VERY small, so when I decied to adopt you know what I did,

*Drum roll*

I drove.

I found a post in the adoptables section that caught my eye and I left the next day drove an hour and got my pigs.

[this_lil_piggy]

I sincerely hope that someday there is an end to this, but sometimes I wonder if we are just spinnign our wheels.

Every time someone makes the choice to NOT purchase from a pet store, which we see happen here almost every day, that is a step forward. It may only be a small fraction size step, but it certainly isn't spinning wheels.


There are a lot of things in our history that took a long time to accomplish, and most those involved never thought the end was in sight. What would have happened if african americans generations ago had just thrown their hands up? Their slave owners didn't see them as human, or as having feelings, or at least not feelings that mattered. I am sure it would have been an easy thing to do, fighting for what they believed in wasn't convenient, or easy--they often had the hell beat out of them or were killed--and I am quite sure many of them felt it was a losing battle. But they had one thing. HOPE. If you give up, and take the easy way out, your a quitter, and quitters never accomplish anything, guaranteed. HOPE makes things happen.

Why give up on something because it isn't the easiest route you could take? Why abandon things you believe in because it isn't the popular opinion? Why be afraid to be the voice against the voices?

There have been plenty.....PLENTY of animals that have begun to be viewed differently, and treated/protected differently..........because people stood up long and loud enough to be heard. Once upon a time they were "just whales" ........

If you can't grasp how people can/will ever see them more than "just a rodent" then the truth is, somewhere inside of you that is the way you see them too.

[CavyKind]

Originally Posted by VoodooJoint

Any chance you could get a copy or a good photo of this poster? Physical proof always helps.

Sorry about the late reply.
If I am careful and there is no one around, I may be able to take it down...

Barbara

[freddy's mom]

applelady,
I think I see what you mean: if I read you correctly, you're feeling the full weight of the problem and sometimes it does feel completely overwhelming! Educating the public is one personal conversation at a time for many of us. I teach students who have been labeled "mentally retarded." Imagine the comments I get. I hate being told I am in a "noble" profession, and I hate hearing the comments from the community and some of their well-educated teachers that are well-meaning but way off the mark! It's not much different (except their humans and we're talking about piggies) in the cavy world and the world of breeding. We can make a difference with positive conversations, positive outlooks, and a hopefulness about the future. Conveying the positive aspects of our pets, our love for them, what makes them wonderful, etc. and then following up with "reality checks" on breeders and their ilk without preaching is difficult but usually quite effective! - with time! Please don't think it's hopeless!

I feel for you getting your pet from a pet store. I also feel for all the other little guys who are going to end up there. I desperately want a pal for my boar, and I know just where I can get one easily and fairly inexpensively. It's totally killing me to have to wait! But there is a rescue "only" 2 hours from me with whom I'm communicating and I'm just going to wait. I hope you take that kind of option if you get another. Many are willing to travel and meet you halfway if necessary to get a good home for a cavy.

By the way, when I mention not preaching, I am talking about our conversations with the public. It's always ok, in my humble and often incorrect opinion, to "preach to the choir" - at least we know they agree and support us, and it's a great way to get out our frustrations!

[catzeye21138]

Originally Posted by suzilovespiggie

Well said BabyGrl. Plus if you breed and sell, those babies that are up for adoption are in a kill shelter and don't find a home will die. You just can't have it both ways. Some poor animal will always lose.

Doesn't it kind of depend on if they plan on keeping the pups or not? If they just put them up for adoption I think that they are breeding for the wrong reason. Maybe someone should have told them that breedin gand just dumping the babies is really wrong and if thats they only reason they are doing it then they shouldn't. I dunno if this post is still relavent or not so sorry if it isn't.

[seagirl96]

Where do breeders' piggies go if they are not up to the breeders' standards? They get sold to anyone who will take them or to pet stores. I got two from pet stores before I became more aware and they both were purchased by the pet stores from breeders. Breeders are trying to perfect their standards for show and that makes for a lot of reject pigs. Look up caviaries with any search engine and you will find that they all have "pet quality" offspring for sale dirt cheap. Does this add to the overpopulation? Duh! This is why you can't breed and rescue.