Usda?

**bleachmiracle** · #1 09-30-06, 04:26 pm

I was in Petsmart the other day when I noticed a small sign hanging on their small animal habitat that said something to the effect of "all our animals come from USDA approved breeding facilities." So that got me to thinking, what in the world does that mean? Most people do not know what USDA standards are, but I am seriously doubting that their standards are all that high. Is that little sign supposed to make us feel better? I would like to see a comparison of these USDA facilities versus a non- USDA facility. I'm betting there is not much difference. Who's with me?

**spoonyspork** · #2 09-30-06, 04:31 pm

Yeah. Last time I was in a Petsmart, I saw that. I was like 'Yay... so animals are kept in good enough conditions to be safe to eat. Huzza.'

Hopefully I conveyed the dripping sarcasm I meant to be read there well enough.

**bleachmiracle** · #3 09-30-06, 04:44 pm

Your sarcasm was very easily understood.

**kavykrazy** · #4 09-30-06, 11:31 pm

For those that don't know...USDA stands for the United States Department of Agriculture.

I suppose the only benefit to that would be that the facility is inspected versus the unknown conditions of an unlicensed backyard breeder.

**CavySpirit** · #5 10-01-06, 12:10 am

Now THAT is a huge misleading crock of BULL.

The animals are purchased from DISTRIBUTORS who may be USDA-approved. For MORE info on usda regs, see this page: http://www.guineapigcages.com/USDA.htm, BUT the SUPPLIERS TO THE DISTRIBUTORS ARE NOT USDA approved. Period. End of story.

AND if you want to know WHO the USDA suppliers are, you can find them on the link I just gave you, because they are all listed there. It means next to nothing. Some of the worst distributors on record are supposedly 'USDA approved.'

**littlebear** · #6 10-01-06, 12:37 am

So guinea pigs are USDA grade beef? Thats pretty much what they are saying in my mind. Cavy Spirit is right thats a bunch of 100% bull.

**Luvthempigs** · #7 10-01-06, 01:39 pm

USDA regulates breeders who breed over a certain amount a year that are sold to pet shops or dealers, not straight to the public. They inspect at least once a year, sometimes more, always surprise visits and look for anything wrong. That can be any dirty cages, any rust on the cages, any cages too small for minimums, any ill animals (usda breeders must have a vet on call, and the vet also must visit the facilities at least twice a year) and on and on. They also must keep a close record of any and all animals that enter, are born on, and leave the facility. If an animal dies of unexplained causes, there must be a post mortem to explain why it died and rule out contagious causes. All cages and surfaces must be able to be sanitized- so all washable surfaces. Cages like C&C would not be acceptable because the coroplast can get stuff inside the corrugated channels in the plastic.

Remember if you push for laws of it being animals going straight to the public as well, this would cover rescues. Do you really want to be regulated as strictly as USDA does?

**fourbwabbys** · #8 10-01-06, 02:03 pm

I don't get your point luvthempigs. You're saying rescues don't meet USDA's bare minimums?

Quote:

any cages too small for minimums

I'd like to know what size they conisder to be minumum.

Quote:

usda breeders must have a vet on call, and the vet also must visit the facilities at least twice a year

Reputable rescues have a vet that they use extremely frequently with the number of animals they have in their care. USDA says twice a year? I'm positive with as many animals as a breeder has, they will need a vet way more than twice a year.

Quote:

All cages and surfaces must be able to be sanitized- so all washable surfaces. Cages like C&C would not be acceptable because the coroplast can get stuff inside the corrugated channels in the plastic.

So they get away with metal cages that are not even half the size of C&C cages.

Quote:

Remember if you push for laws of it being animals going straight to the public as well, this would cover rescues. Do you really want to be regulated as strictly as USDA does?

I'm curious. Please explain where rescues do not meet the minimum?

**Luvthempigs** · #9 10-01-06, 02:25 pm

Surfaces that can't be sanitized (no carpet, all walls and other surfaces must be washable), home during normal business hours (8-5 I believe) for surprise visits, animals in a separate building from your living quarters with it's own ventilation system to keep the temps steady and to circulate a specific amount of air in a given time period.....

Oh, and it's not USING a vet twice a year. It is hiring a vet to come out to your facility and examine every animal who is there twice a year. Hiring a vet for ill animals is separate. In those cases you'd take the animals into the vet.

**fourbwabbys** · #10 10-01-06, 04:56 pm

Also, realise the majority of shelters don't keep all animals on premises. Most are kept in foster homes until someone enquires to adopt them.

I'm also curious if USDA policy covers responsibility. If PetCo and PetSmart are USDA approved, then obviosely not. I have seen heavily pregnant dalmation pigs in their store with others in the cage with them, I had no idea if one of the other dals in the cage got her pregnant. USDA does not cover the breeder knowing the genetic background of their animals and breeding them responsibly.

**Luvthempigs** · #11 10-02-06, 05:31 pm

And would they be able to keep those foster homes if they had to be USDA approved? Do you want the government trekking in and out of your house?

You can't legislate morality.

**fourbwabbys** · #12 10-02-06, 05:36 pm

Technically, once placed in foster homes, they are in private property, not a business. As long as they are treated humanely according to the ASPCA, they can't regulate private homes.

**Luvthempigs** · #13 10-02-06, 05:44 pm

IF the private home is going to be selling/rehoming it, yes the USDA can regulate them if they pass laws that state that anybody selling/rehoming an animal must be regulated, unless that foster home is for the rest of the life of the animal.

**CavySpirit** · #14 10-02-06, 09:13 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luvthempigs

USDA regulates breeders who breed over a certain amount a year that are sold to pet shops or dealers, not straight to the public. They inspect at least once a year, sometimes more, always surprise visits and look for anything wrong. That can be any dirty cages, any rust on the cages, any cages too small for minimums, any ill animals (usda breeders must have a vet on call, and the vet also must visit the facilities at least twice a year) and on and on. They also must keep a close record of any and all animals that enter, are born on, and leave the facility. If an animal dies of unexplained causes, there must be a post mortem to explain why it died and rule out contagious causes. All cages and surfaces must be able to be sanitized- so all washable surfaces. Cages like C&C would not be acceptable because the coroplast can get stuff inside the corrugated channels in the plastic.

Remember if you push for laws of it being animals going straight to the public as well, this would cover rescues. Do you really want to be regulated as strictly as USDA does?

I don't know what planet you are talking about, but it isn't this one.

The LIST is public and is on the link I gave. You find me ONE, just ONE guinea pig breeder listed there. You won't they are all the DISTRIBUTORS. AND the USDA can't even keep up with them. Give me a break.

And I'd be happy to have the USDA regulate rescues if they could. They can't even keep up with the big ones (distributors).

I know exactly what the USDA does and doesn't do. I have several connections and sources that I can't name.

When it comes to cavies, we are pretty much SOL on real regs.

Do you really want to be regulated as strictly as USDA does? What a joke.

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