Going To A Cavy Show

[OSUCavies]

Originally Posted by jackrussellgirl

When have I ever said I was expecting a good experience?

So back to my original question, WHY would you want to go see something that you know is not going to be a good experience?

Plus even being there makes it look like you're condoning it.

[DaCourt]

We go to the county fair every year. Every year we go see the pigs. Every year I have been asked to leave the area. We did not pay to see teh pigs. We paid to attend the fair. But while there, we (my daughter and I) use the opportunity to educate the few people we can before asking to leave.

We hear people saying, see, they don't need much room, you can keep just one, they don't need veggies, etc, etc....

We take the opportunity to let them know everything that is wrong. We also come prepared to pass out the links to this website, GuineaLynx and The Pigloo.

Last year, one woman even came up to us and said, "Are you going to cause a scene again?" I told her that the year before, SHE was the one causing the scene since she was the one yelling at me. I was the one speaking nicely to the people.

[OSUCavies]

Originally Posted by DaCourt

We go to the county fair every year. Every year we go see the pigs. Every year I have been asked to leave the area. We did not pay to see teh pigs. We paid to attend the fair. But while there, we (my daughter and I) use the opportunity to educate the few people we can before asking to leave.

We hear people saying, see, they don't need much room, you can keep just one, they don't need veggies, etc, etc....

We take the opportunity to let them know everything that is wrong. We also come prepared to pass out the links to this website, GuineaLynx and The Pigloo.

Last year, one woman even came up to us and said, "Are you going to cause a scene again?" I told her that the year before, SHE was the one causing the scene since she was the one yelling at me. I was the one speaking nicely to the people.

That's one thing, but just going to sit and watch is another.

What you did was almost an act of protesting, which I believe is a good reason to attend one of those stupid shows.

But not just going to watch.

[jackrussellgirl]

Originally Posted by GuineaLover12

So back to my original question, WHY would you want to go see something that you know is not going to be a good experience?

Plus even being there makes it look like you're condoning it.

I don't know if it is going to be a good or bad experience. I would also like to point out that I'm sure you have done things you didn't want to do but felt it necessary. I personally feel it necessary for me to see a show and talk to breeders before I judge them too harshly.
Why would being there make it seem like I'm condioning shows? Many people go to shows even if they don't agree with them. People on this thread have said that they go to shows to educate people about proper Guinea Pig care.

[OSUCavies]

Originally Posted by jackrussellgirl

I don't know if it is going to be a good or bad experience. I would also like to point out that I'm sure you have done things you didn't want to do but felt it necessary. I personally feel it necessary for me to see a show and talk to breeders before I judge them too harshly.
Why would being there make it seem like I'm condioning shows? Many people go to shows even if they don't agree with them. People on this thread have said that they go to shows to educate people about proper Guinea Pig care.

Because they go to the shows to educate OTHER people, not to educate themselves on breeding like you're doing. So you don't "judge them too harshly".

Big difference.

[jackrussellgirl]

Originally Posted by GuineaLover12

Because they go to the shows to educate OTHER people, not to educate themselves on breeding like you're doing. So you don't "judge them too harshly".

Big difference.

Whats the difference if I'm educating myself or other people. And who knows I might be totally disgusted with what I see and turn into a raving lunatic. I honestly don't know what is going to happen. I'm going prepared for anything.

[OSUCavies]

Originally Posted by jackrussellgirl

Whats the difference if I'm educating myself or other people. And who knows I might be totally disgusted with what I see and turn into a raving lunatic. I honestly don't know what is going to happen. I'm going prepared for anything.

The difference is, the people that attend those shows to inform other people KNOW what they are saying and they know their opinions about breeding, shows, etc.

You, however, are unsure. You don't know what your opinion is. Hence, why you're attending this show. You want to "talk to the breeders before you judge them too harshly". Therefore, you're going with an open mind thinking that MAYBE you might leave thinking that breeding isn't as bad as other people are saying.
THAT's why people were upset by your posts.

Because you aren't going with the same mind set as others. That's why you're being judged when other people are not.

[OSUCavies]

Look, jackrussellgirl, you're gonna do what you want, regardless of what everyone else says.

But the reason people get upset on the forums when people post things like this is because it seems slightly hypocritical.

For instance, some people come on the boards and agree with this and that about how terrible petstores are, etc. Then they go out and buy yet another petstore guinea pig and brag about it on the forums. OF COURSE people are going to jump down their throat after that.

You've been a member since April, so I'm sure you know how people feel about breeding, petstores and all that jazz. So naturally people are going to feel a little upset when they hear that someone who has been a member for a pretty decent amount of time would want to "find out for themselves" how good or bad something like breeding and showing really is.

[jackrussellgirl]

Originally Posted by GuineaLover12

The difference is, the people that attend those shows to inform other people KNOW what they are saying and they know their opinions about breeding, shows, etc.

You, however, are unsure. You don't know what your opinion is. Hence, why you're attending this show. You want to "talk to the breeders before you judge them too harshly". Therefore, you're going with an open mind thinking that MAYBE you might leave thinking that breeding isn't as bad as other people are saying.
THAT's why people were upset by your posts.

Because you aren't going with the same mind set as others. That's why you're being judged when other people are not.

I guess I'm just an open minded person. In everything I do I try to look at the good and bad sides of the situation. Both sides diserve equal concideration in any decision. (Thought in this situation I've already made up my mind that I will never breed or show.)

[jackrussellgirl]

Originally Posted by GuineaLover12

Look, jackrussellgirl, you're gonna do what you want, regardless of what everyone else says.

But the reason people get upset on the forums when people post things like this is because it seems slightly hypocritical.

For instance, some people come on the boards and agree with this and that about how terrible petstores are, etc. Then they go out and buy yet another petstore guinea pig and brag about it on the forums. OF COURSE people are going to jump down their throat after that.

You've been a member since April, so I'm sure you know how people feel about breeding, petstores and all that jazz. So naturally people are going to feel a little upset when they hear that someone who has been a member for a pretty decent amount of time would want to "find out for themselves" how good or bad something like breeding and showing really is.

Thank you! I'm finally getting some serious answers. Thats what I have been looking for the whole time.

[DaCourt]

Originally Posted by jackrussellgirl

Thank you! I'm finally getting some serious answers. Thats what I have been looking for the whole time.

How is what GuineaLover12 any different from what everyone else has been saying all along?

[Susan9608]

I don't know what you think you're going to see. When you're at a show, you might see a few things, like pigs without a constant source of water or pigs in small cages. You see the same things at a pet store.

It's the things that you won't see that make showing and breeding so bad. You won't see the pigs that are being bred to death to produce those picture perfect specimens on display. You won't see the crummy conditions those pigs live in on a day to day basis. You won't get a look at the unacceptable offspring who are tossed away like garbage. You probably won't get a look at the quality of food and bedding that those pigs live with on a day to day basis. That's all the behind the scenes type stuff.

So what do you think you're going to see? If you've decided that breeding and showing is wrong for you yourself to participate in, why do you need an open mind about other people doing the same thing? And what do you expect to see that's going to sway you one way or another?

I don't know why you'd trust what you see with your own two eyes when you know you're going to only be seeing the dressed up and pretty side of showing. Why are you so determined to discount the first-hand accounts of the behind the scenes cruelty and abuse that goes on?

Are you also going to start visiting the breeding mills that supply pet stores before you judge breeders too harshly? Seems kinda strange and hypocritical to investigate one avenue and not the other ....

[fourbwabbys]

If you'd like to see how those pigs get to be "show worthy" PM me. I'm doing a school report on showing and got some very disgusting pictures of their housing.

[jabberwock]

Well if you're definitely going to go then make sure that you are well prepared and try and use the experience to disseminate good information about standards of guinea pig care. Make sure that you have printed off relevant pages from this site and guinea lynx. Make sure that you do have the web addresses to hand out to people. It will make you feel more confident when breeders/showers attempt to justify their stance to you.

And how about trying to turn the visit into something much more useful. Does your local newspaper cover these shows? If they do then write a letter in response to their article saying something along the lines of "your article on the XXX show failed to mention the sad story behind the whole practice of cavy shows......" If your local newspaper doesn't cover the show then write a letter along the lines of "I visited the XXX show at the weekend and I feel I need to tell the story behind the whole practice of cavy shows". Keep the details brief, relevant and not too stomach-wrenching to be published.

We use this letter writing technique to raise a whole gamut of world development/climate change issues with our local newspaper. Being able to hang them onto a local issue makes it much easier to get the paper to cover them.