Agggg help!!!

[Amethyst]

I'm looking for guinea pigs to adopt, I'm looking in classifieds and craiglist since there aren't any rescues around here...and I'm finding some. But my Mom is always coming up with objections to everything we find...they're boys we want girls...they're long-haired we want short-haired...she's getting contacts to 'breeders' and she wants to buy a pig from them so we can have just what we want...she thinks 'breeders' are just nice family people who want to have the fun of having babies a couple times...I've tried to explain to her the things I've learned here, but I must not be doing a good job...I can't remember all the facts and our last 'argument' drove me to tears. I've asked her to read this forum, but she just brushed me off...

Can I have a list of information about breeders/adopting pros and cons and/or threads to look at and things that I can give my Mom to read?! I really want her to understand and I don't want to buy from a breeder.

[paula.m.moore]

I know how frustrating it is to want a new piggy and not to be able to find one on Craigslist or in local shelters. But if you keep looking, trust me, it'll be worth the wait when you find what you've been looking for. And you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you've taken a pig from a shelter or private person and not bought an animals while others die in shelters.

If your mom buys from a breeder, it's really not any different than going to a pet store, because pet stores get their animals from breeders. You're just cutting out the middle man.

Breeders contribute to an already vast problem of overpopulation, it sounds like you might know that already from some research you've done on your own. The truth is, while it might not seem like there are pigs to adopt in your area, there are, or will be soon, and buying from a breeder only encourages that breeder to do more of what he's done. People go to breeders oftentimes without doing proper research into the pet they are buying ... which often means that the pet will be abandoned or rehomed shortly down the road. It isn't fair to the animal and as long as there are people out there willing to buy from a breeder, the breeders will continue to produce animals and further a cycle that in my humble opinion is beyond irresponsible - it's downright cruel. If you're willing to adopt, it says you've probably already done some research into the needs of the specific animal you're looking for, and therefore more likely to give the animal proper care.

Bottom line is, while there might not be exactly what you're looking for available for adoption *right now* there will be soon enough - and adopting will likely keep an animal out of a shelter, could possibly save an animal from euthanasia, and what you are NOT doing is opening another slot at the breeder's for them to fill with another baby to sell.

I have 22 guinea pigs (will be 24 this week) and not a single one of them came from a breeder or a pet store - they all came from shelters or private people. So, believe me, they're out there, and they are well worth waiting to find.

[Deenanicole08]

For starters, breeders obviously add to the over population of the animals. Go to petfinder and look at how many homeless guinea pigs there are. I'd show you a link right now of a horribly tragic guinea pig case they have on there but I'm not sure if it's allowed. They called it the Lancaster Cruelty Case if you'd like to look it up on there your self. Just do an "advanced search" for special needs guinea pigs you'll come across it. It's heart breaking to see. These kinds of things happen when breeders get away with what they're doing.

Also you may think you're getting the perfect pig, but a lot of times there are defects that are unnoticed because they breed to close in the bloodline. So the "perfect" pig is really not so perfect, possibly leading to many medical problems that you wouldn't have noticed.

On petfinder there are 1,343 homeless guinea pig ads, and probably at least 35% are bonded pairs, so that's even more pigs. Out of all the small and furry homeless animals on there, they have the most.

[Amethyst]

I've looked on petfinder and there aren't any pigs in my area...or even in Utah..I have found several elsewhere that I would be happy to have, but my Mom wants the 'perfect' pig/pigs.

Are there even breeders like the ones she described? If she finds some do you think it would be bad to buy from them? And how would it be bad?

[Deenanicole08]

Look at it this way, every pig bought from a breeder is another one sitting lonely in a shelter somewhere and homeless. That's why it's bad. We do not need more pigs right now, there are enough accidental litters to keep the guinea pig population alive, intentional breeding is horrible. Look at this link about breeding.

Breeding Guinea Pigs

Also I've found 6 Utah ads on petfinder
Guinea Pig, Murray, UT: Adoptable Pets: Petfinder

[paula.m.moore]

I don't know if this would be reasonable for you - but have you heard of Piggie Poo - home? I read that they had just opened an office in Salt Lake. (http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/pet/899640859.html).

And here are some piggies in Utah - Guinea Pig, Murray, UT: Adoptable Pets: Petfinder

[Amethyst]

Oh thank you! I don't know why I couldn't find anything in Utah, all that came up for me were pigs in Colorado...

[paula.m.moore]

I've had issues with Petfinder like that too. It's strange, I have no idea why it happens.

You could also try Guinea Pig Home - Home and Guinea Lynx :: * * * * * for piggies looking for a new home.

[R.J. Messier]

if you are still looking, there is a surgeon in alabam that has two piggies he may get rid of, they were his girls and they went to college that won't allow pets of anykind, reply back and I see what i can do here .

[Amethyst]

I've found two piggies, thank you.

[doodle_bug414]

Piggie Poo did just open up a resuce in Utah. They are awesome! I foster pigs for them and all of them are great! If you need help with Arizona or Utah PM me and I can get you some contact info.