For all my past pets...

[muffin]

I hope it's ok to post this. I just wanted to remember the pets I've lost that I don't think had as good a life as they should have.

To my rabbits, who lived outdoors and never got the proper care and attention because I was only about 5 or 6 when I had them. They lived outside in a big enough hutch and run, (by general standards) but I have very few memories of them, despite being in charge of their care. I doubt they got what they needed. They went to be someone else's pets when the cleaning and feeding in the cold just wasn't fun any more. I definitely didn't have them by the time I was 7. R.I.p. Toffee and Posy.
To my hamster, who I wanted for ages and was too scared to handle when I did get him, because he always looked like he was going to try and bite me when I went near him, so he only got handled when my Mum had time to get him out for me and at cage cleaning time. He had a lonely and boring life, which was cut short by unintended hamster chocolate-drop poisoning. I think I had him between when I was 7 or 9. R.I.P. Chipper.
To Goldie, our goldfish. The long-lived survivor of a tank of around 6. He had a tiny tank and it was only rarely cleaned. I was too young to help him. I remember growing old enough to try and clean it myself. He died after jumping out, and it was too late when we found him. R.I.P. Goldie.
To all the goldfish we buried in the garden: I don't know why they died.
To our cat Tara. Found caught by her collar in our hedge and adopted by us, she spent most of her life terrified and hiding from our dogs.
To Max, our German Shepherd dog, who had to be 'rehomed' because he kept escapeing, and once harmed a neighbour's sheep. I don't think he was rehomed at all. I still can't bring myself to ask. R.I.P Max.
To my brother's guinea pigs. This is where it all started. He wanted gerbils but my parents got him guinea pigs instead, which I ended up taking care of. Their cage was tiny, and they were big boars. I did everything the care book said, so they got select veggies now and then, as well as iceberg lettuce, dog biscuits, baked bread, mashed potato, yoghurt treats, seed sticks etc. I used a cleaning spray to clean their cage, and my Mum bought fragranced wood shavings because they smelled. They didn't have a hidey house, and hay was mainly for bedding rather than eating, according to the book. I don't remember them being allowed run time except when their cage was being cleaned, because they peed on the carpet. They fought (probably just bickering because of the tiny cage but it looked serious to us then). We seperated them, but my Mum wouldn't have a second cage in the house so they were rehomed. I still feel awful about this to this day, because I don't think they were well cared for by their new owner. I was told to find a home for them and they were given to the school 'animal room'. During term time they got plenty of care, but I now wonder if the teacher who looked after them really came in every day during the holidays. It was a really hot room too. One died soon after and the second about a year later I think. R.I.P Rex and Ginger. I thought you were getting a better home.

I've cried all the way through this. I don't have my piggies now out of guilt, but I do feel guilt and shame for these past pets. I didn't know any better but I still feel awful for them. All I can do now is do the best for my guineas and my Mum's dog, Muffin, and support animal charities, but it doesn't make up for the crappy deal these pets got. No child should be in sole charge of their pet, as we always say.

[amptondooz]

Aaaaaaaaaaaah, it's ok! I've had loadas of pets that died, and this is a sad story:

I got my second Guinea pig a year after the first one, and the shopkeeper told us itwas a girl. Little did we know that nine weeks later babies would be born. But of course, we didn't KNOW there was going to be little baby pigs, so we didn't treat my guinea pig like you should when it's pregnant. Two days before they wer born, we found outshe was pregnant. Then the babies were born, but she had to many (she had four on her first litter, and the average for their first litter is 2 or 3, but also she was very small and we think she had difficulty giving birth.
We rang the petshop and complained, and they offered to CHANGE MY GUINEA PIG! We were really furius, bacause if you've had a pet for about 10 weeks, you're not going to want to swap it, are you?
A year later, my guinea pig had a stroke, and we rang the vet and he told us she had probably been under a small amout of stress for a year, which she didn't show, and then finally she had a stroke. The poor thing died, which made me really sad

[muffin]

Poor piggy. It's hard when you think you're doing the best, but even that isn't enough.

[katiecavyNC]

I know many of us have probably had pets that suffered because we were young and didn't know any better. Look forward with the sure knowledge that you DO know better and know where to get good information now. Make the effort to take the best care you can of your current pets in memory of those who have gone before.

[amptondooz]

Actually, I've only had fish, a hamster and a guinea pig die, but the guinea pig, it was the pet shops fault (me and my mam din't know that you could get guinea pigs in the shelters and stuff then) and the hamster was old... but it is sad when they, die, isn't it? I feel very sorry for you (again)