Why NOT to get a Petstore Guinea Pig? *Pictures*

[fourbwabbys]

I just came across this video. It's very sad.

YouTube - Pet Store Suppliers: Beyond the "waggily tail"

[masher]

I could hardly even watch the whole thing - that is so terribly cruel and sad.....

[kittnkarr]

Originally Posted by fourbwabbys

I just came across this video. It's very sad.

YouTube - Pet Store Suppliers: Beyond the "waggily tail"

If that does not get someone's attention I don't know what will.

[lynn's Cavies]

I had a really hard time watching that YouTube Video, it is the stark reality, and it saddens me. I just feel sick inside. Those poor animals. A PetSmart just opened on Vancouver Island and I haven't been to it. I don't think I can even if it's to investigate. I'm sticking to Feed & Tack stores to purchase my animal supplies. Or Bosley's Pet Food as they do adoptions only through the SPCA or CRD.

Even as sickened as I am I believe it is going to get better for animals. I have seen a change since I was a child. Yes, there are still horrible petstores out there but so many have switched to only selling supplies and that gives me hope. It still is a long road though but at least the changes are gradually coming about. Unfortunately, it is not going fast enough as those pictures and videos depicted.

Sad...
Lynn

[Lyah21]

I have no pictures but I do have a story. There is only one pet store in my town, it is a small shop and not part of a large chain. The rodents are kept in cages that are no larger than 2 x 2. The last time I was there I went a looked at the guinea pigs, there was atleast 10 piggies in one tiny 2 x 2 cage. A tiny black pig had a large wound behind it's ear. These were just the young pigs, they had olders ones too. Near teh fish there is a small octagon shaped tank, this is where they put the rodents that haven't sold yet, and chances are won't be. This pet store doesn't put food or water even in the cages. We used to buy our bedding, hay and food there. Now we go to pet food supplier store, we pay more but it is worth it, and the staff are knowledgeable.

[Res Judicata]

These stories are not about guinea pigs, but they illustrate the behavior of breeders, who sell pets of all kinds to pet stores. I heard both last week, and decided to go ahead and post them anyway.

A woman my friend works with lives near a breeder of beagles. She had this one puppy for eight months and had mentioned at a neighborhood get-together that she was taking this puppy in to get it put to sleep because she hadn't sold it yet and was tired of putting money into it. The co-worker was disgusted by this, offered to take the dog off her hands (she didn't pay for him) although she doesn't really want a dog around with four kids under the age of six, and is keeping him until she can find him a good home.

My parents got a cocker spaniel from a rescue three years ago. Last week they noticed her limping and since they had an appointment for her to get her rabies shot a day after they noticed the limp, they brought it up to the vet. She has a bad knee. Unfortunately I don't know the correct term for it, but it is a genetic thing caused by breeders not being careful when they mate their dogs. Right now it's not too bad, and she gets a baby asprin a day to keep the pain away, but she may need surgery if it degenerates in the future.

Breeders like these supply all kinds of animals to pet stores. They send out sick animals, dispose of the unsellable ones, and breed animals who should not for genetic reasons be part of the gene pool. People who buy pets from pet stores simply allow the breeders to continue with their horrible practices.

[OSUCavies]

Originally Posted by landhermie

That is very sick of pet stores and breeders to do.


As for guinea pigs, I think I'll ask my mom about adoption, too. The one time I was in Petsmart, I saw guinea pigs that were in tiny cages! I'm sick of that Petsmart. They take care of their animals horribly.

Yet, you just purchased a new piggy from a petstore.

[fourbwabbys]

And Petco at that.

[OSUCavies]

Originally Posted by fourbwabbys

And Petco at that.

Exactly.

[Terekins]

I certainly haven't had terrible experiences like the ones mentioned above, thankfully, however I'm pretty sure my two males are actually male and female. I'm not so much upset about the fact that I will have to deal with babies/neutering. I'm upset at the thought of what might happen to unwanted litters when this sort of thing happens to people who aren't prepared to deal with it.
I am appalled at how irresponsible the petstore is (Pets Unlimited, here in Canada). My boyfriend bought me our first pig and the staff person basically refused to sex her, saying "there are no guarantees". Needless to say they did not explain the importance of buying pigs of the same sex. Our second pig was obviously a male. So, we hoped the first was a male as well, completely unaware of how big of a deal it actually is to have a litter.

In retrospect I know we we both uneducated and should have done our research before buying (or rescuing). We will handle whatever comes in a responsible manner, but how many others will simply "get rid of" their unwanted pets?
Tere
Tere

[confuzioncity]

This is horrible! We had a local petshop shut down for abuse/neglect of it's animals. I went in there once and I just wanted to go ballistic on every person that worked in there. Anyways, I was so happy to see them shut down.

I have a friend that works at our local Petco. They actually take really good care of the animals they have in there. They have hidey holes, toys, fresh food, and they get handled quite a bit. So I don't have a problem shopping there for food etc for the animals in my house.

Anyways, I used to work at Meijer - a store like walmart. I worked in the Pet Department. I made it a point to play/handle all the small animals on my break and at times when I was extremely bored (I worked the night shift). I got bitten several times by various members of the rodent family but I felt better knowing that I made a difference in their life.

Anyways, I just wanted to post that there are actually a few people that work in petstores that do make a difference in an animals life.

I want to encourage everyone that sees appalling conditions and abuse to report them to their local authorities. I don't know about some places but I know where I live it is against the law to abuse an animal no matter what kind it is!

Colleen

[fourbwabbys]

I just wanted to point out one thing from your post.

I have a friend that works at our local Petco. They actually take really good care of the animals they have in there. They have hidey holes, toys, fresh food, and they get handled quite a bit. So I don't have a problem shopping there for food etc for the animals in my house.

Look at the video I posted earlier. That's a prime example of the breeding mills and BYB's petco, petsmart and the like get their animals from. The workers could care for them, but the business relies on money. They can buy their animals cheap from BYB's and mills to save money, then sell them for twice what they bought them from.

[confuzioncity]

Originally Posted by fourbwabbys

I just wanted to point out one thing from your post.



Look at the video I posted earlier. That's a prime example of the breeding mills and BYB's petco, petsmart and the like get their animals from. The workers could care for them, but the business relies on money. They can buy their animals cheap from BYB's and mills to save money, then sell them for twice what they bought them from.

I watched it. It's horrible. I'm not sure where the Petco my friend works at get their animals from...never thought to ask her that. I only know how the animals at my local Petco are treated by the staff...still it is hard to think about what the animals go through before they arrive there!

Breeding mills are heavily investigated around here. We've had countless stories in the news about them getting shut down by the authorities. My mom used to breed Labradors and she had a pure hatred for puppy mills because of the horrible conditions. She's not breeding anymore but the state would come out and inspect the property and everything without any type of warning. My mom had no problem with the state inspectors at all and welcomed their inspection.

I just wish more states would follow stricter guidelines for animal breeding and introduce harsher penalties.

Colleen

[standuprookie]

They sell animals when there is an overpopulation, that is why most people (like me) don't shop there.

still it is hard to think about what the animals go through before they arrive there!

Its hard to think about the tiny cages, crappy food, and untreated sicknesses they get at the store, and who knows what happens to the poor pigs after the leave the store.

[CavySpirit]

Originally Posted by fourbwabbys

I just came across this video. It's very sad.

YouTube - Pet Store Suppliers: Beyond the "waggily tail"

Can someone download that video and send it to me? (You need special software) I could probably figure it out, but don't have the time at the moment.

I have printed off the original text of the original expose by PETA of that story. NONE of the original story is available anywhere on the net. WHY? Because PETA sold out to Petco and pulled it. At least that's my assumption.

Anyway, I want to put the video back up (I'll take any heat on copyright violation) somewhere along with the ORIGINAL text. Initially, I'll just link to the video, but I want to have it in case it disappears again.

It's bugged me off and on for years that I couldn't find that video. I should have pulled it off when I had the chance. Glad it's resurfaced.

[Slave to the Wheek]

Done. It's in .flv do you need it converted to anything specific. Hubby is helping me to convert to .avi for now.