How can people give away their old pets to get new ones...

[pandaloki]

When I took in a new guinea pig, the owner told me that he was re-homing some of his pets because his family said they had too many. Days later he posts stuff in facebook about his new rabbit or how he plans to buy another show dog. It just makes me sick how people can just abandon their pets as if they were an outdated gadget, especially when they call themselves "animal lovers". Not long ago this happened to one of my favorite youtube people who gave almost all of her pigs away, called it a family problem, and eventually adopted cats. Which of course caused a lot of rage and probably ended posting videos from then on.

This is pretty common in my country, a lot of people treat animals as collective items or some kind of object to show off their social status. In our versions of ebay/craigslist, "pet swapping" is like a normal thing. How can you have the heart to "swap" your pet? That's crazy. Here's an example of one
pet swapping Philippines

I searched in "pet swap" and it's very sad how some of the animals here are labeled as "second hand" or are believed to have equal value to objects like TV's or cellular phones.

[Roo99]

I know a young person that has the very mentality of pet=toy. Her first pet was a rabbit, which she decided that she didn't want. She gave it away to get a rat. Then, after a few months she got rid of the rat to get guinea pigs. Once she got the guinea pigs, she neglected them. The pigs had untreated mites for 1 month until she finally surrendered them to the local animal shelter. And now, she wants to get a mouse.

This is a teenager, not a very small child. I should hope that her parents realize what they are teaching her by letting her throw away her pets to get new ones. The guinea pigs were most likely euthanized because of her refusal to take them to the vet.

What is the name of the YouTuber? I really like guinea pig channels, and I haven't heard of one where the user did that.

[pandaloki]

I know a VET who thinks like that. I stopped going to him when he showed his true colors. Even if he's only 1 of 2 cavy savvy vets I know. The other lives miles away in another city, but I don't care.

[Roo99]

Wow, 22 pigs. that is a lot for 1 person to handle... did she make a video about when she gave them away?

[Ithilgil]

I'm proud to say that I had never given my pets away, even as a child when I had lost interest in them. (I'm not proud of that part though. My only excuse for that was my mentality of a child and how my mother moved my pets down in the basement near the furnace when winter came. Out of sight, out of mind.)

My sisters gave their RES turtles away to a family friend when we moved out of the country. I'm rather sad that I never got that chance. My RES turtles died from starvation due to an eye disease that rendered them blind. We tried giving them medicine for it, but our discovery of that illness came too late for them.

But we had never given away a pet just to get another one.

I understand it when children did that. After all, most children, especially the young ones, views pets as mere toys or playmates. But they eventally lose interest in them, wanting a new toys.

But I don't get how older teens and adults can stand to do something like that. Haven't they spent time and money on that pet? How come they would throw them away just to get a new one?

Sure, I had played with the thought of giving away my pets for another, but I had never posted an ad or even asked another person if they wanted my pet. In the end, I'd welcome a new pet, but I'd never abandon the old.

I don't get how someone could actually switch pets like that.

I don't understand them at all. And I don't want to understand them. Because the day I do, I might do the same thing. And I don't want to be a person like that.

[mrsmegb]

How can they give away old pets for new ones? The same way people do other insensitive things like cheating on an SO, lie, etc. It's everywhere.

[doganddisc]

I've given up very few animals in my life. I did relinquish my three guinea pigs to a rescue a few years ago because my personal financial situation and lifestyle changed drastically and I had no choice but to find them a better home. The same went for the two rats I had at that time.

I also recently rehomed a bird that I had for thirteen-fourteen years. Since I commute an hour one way to and from school daily, she wasn't getting any out of cage time and hadn't had much attention for months. Our power went out for a week last year in October and during that time I gave her to a friend to care for so she wouldn't freeze to death (it got down to 45 degrees in my house that week!). The friend absolutely adored her- I offered to let her stay there and that was that. I still get to see her every few weeks though

I think there are legitimate reasons for rehoming an animal and anybody can be in that situation without warning- but how somebody can just go from pet to pet is beyond me. I personally get too attached.

[pandaloki]

Wow, 22 pigs. that is a lot for 1 person to handle... did she make a video about when she gave them away?

She did but I don't remember if she deleted it, can't find it anymore. She recently uploaded a recent video about how sorry she was for neglecting them. It was the right thing for her to do to give them away because she's starting to get busy with work and college, but then she adopted cats, which confused her fans.

[Isawilson65]

When I get a pet, its a lifetime commitment for me and my family. I did NOT learn this from my parents. They constantly got pets and gave them away for whatever reason. I am glad that I am teaching my children that the furry ones that live with us are our are FAMILY.

[EverGreenly]

When I was younger my family went through probably 11 dogs. They said they were trying to find the 'perfect one.' Only animals I've ever rehomed are fosters.

[madelineelaine]

I don't understand that I'm 15, and even I know that animals are for life. They aren't a fad or a trend. They're animals, they have feelings too.

[EverGreenly]

It was horrible, I'd fall in love with a dog, get home and mom had taken it to the pound. I never really got attached to the last two. The one they have now is their 'perfect' dog, so luckily she has a home for life. I lived with it my whole life which is exactly why I work so hard for mine. I have a great guinea pig and two great foster gerbils.

[LifeAsItMayBe]

She did but I don't remember if she deleted it, can't find it anymore. She recently uploaded a recent video about how sorry she was for neglecting them. It was the right thing for her to do to give them away because she's starting to get busy with work and college, but then she adopted cats, which confused her fans.

I could be wrong but, I thought she was just fostering the cats?

[pandaloki]

I could be wrong too, but I do remember that mommy cat was staying and kittens were being fostered. But it was weird how she could happily take in new animals after giving away her old ones, I think most people thought she was having financial problems.

This will be my last comment about her, it's not fair if we talk about her here, I just used her scenario as an example. I could be accused of cyber bullying. :P

[MissJean]

The world is full of despicable people whom you can never fully escape from. It's a sad reality.

[skittyginny]

@Roo99 She sounds mentally ill. People like that end up doing horrible, horrible things.

[GuineaPigPerson]

I know what you mean, one of my friends looses interest in her small animals and just gets another one and another... when I got guinea pigs she bought two the next week.

[mrsmegb]

It seems like this discussion has gone from trading up for a newer "model" to people who get bored with a pet so they keep getting more. Keep in mind that hoarding animals (or uncontrollably shopping for them) is a personality disorder, a terrible one, but one the person cannot control without an intervention. Which often doesn't happen until too late.

[Roo99]

@Roo99 She sounds mentally ill. People like that end up doing horrible, horrible things.

She is fully mentally healthy, and a very nice girl. But when she receives no consequences for the actions of giving up her animals to someone else, then she continues to do it without realizing what is so wrong about it.

Don't get me wrong, she's very nice. However, I certainly do not agree with her on animal care.

[nibbler100]

I have only given up two animals, and that's because I had already had to many and the homes I found for them where good homes. My mom has this belief (i live by it know that I'm older) That if you get a animal its for life.