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Pet Store Piggies

2cavy
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Susan9608

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Buying a pig from a pet store does not *rescue* a guinea pig.

When you purchase a pet from a pet store, the pet store then orders MORE pets from a breeder, and then the breeder breeds MORE pets (in this case guinea pigs) to keep up with the demand from the pet stores. It creates a vicious cycle, where more and more guinea pigs are purposely bred, sent to pet stores, and purchased.

Meanwhile, there are guinea pigs in animal shelters and rescues all over the country that are put to sleep because there aren't enough homes for them. Many shelters also have to turn away guinea pigs for lack of room ... those guinea pigs are then dumped out in the open, given away to those who might use them as a food supply for a reptile, or given away to those who will neglect them.

If the person who *purchased* a guinea pig from a pet store had adopted one from a rescue/shelter instead, not only would that guinea pig's life have been saved, but there would then be room at the shelter for another pig ... saving some pig from being dumped out in the open, from becoming reptile food, or from being given away to an irresponsible owner. 2 lives would have been saved, rather than more and more lives being created and ended.

You don't *rescue* a pet from a pet store; you don't even adopt a pet from a pet store. You *purchase* things from a pet store; you *purchase* animals because animals at pet stores are regarded as merchandise. There is no screening of the homes these animals will go to; anyone who shows up with enough money can take an animal home, regardless of their ability to care for them.

No one will say that the guinea pigs in pet stores are any less deserving of good homes than the guinea pigs that come from rescues and shelters. Every guinea pig deserves a good home; unfortunately, there aren't enough good homes to go around. The only way to fix that problem is to send a message to pet stores, and thus breeders, that *selling* animals as merchandise is not acceptable and that breeding more animals (guinea pigs) in the face of an overpopulation problem is also unacceptable.

If it bothers you to think of the guinea pigs trapped in pet stores, then DON'T support those pet stores that sell animals. Don't buy animals from pet stores and don't buy supplies from pet stores that sell animals. Don't get trapped in the mind set that you are actually helping when you purchase a pet from a pet store - all you are doing is contributing to the problem.
 
2cavy
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Susan9608

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No problem - I think I was typing my message just as you were typing your second message. :)
 

cavynut!!!

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Wow!!! Didnt realize there were so many lonely guinea pigs out there
I live in Vacouver, Canada and i'm trying to find a shelter. any Idea were the closest shelter is ?
 

Martina

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Have you found a shelter yet? because we foster buns for Small Animal Rescue Society of BC (SARS) and they have all kinds of little animals up for adoption and they can always use help to foster or drive or something. Just wondering if you found one ? :)
 

Sabriel

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Wow, the acronym must not be helpful now, eh?
 

cavynut!!!

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Were's the small animal rescue of B.C. I will soon have enough space to welcome a few more little furry freinds into my family!!!!!!!!
 

Martina

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its not a shelter its fosters so i think most are in the lower mainland. you can look it up on the internet
 

piggersrule11

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well not all pet stores r bad i got my mocha from a pet store here and town and she was really well cared for there. and she came froma real breeders not a mill. while on the other side of town there are six pigs to a cage at the petsmart that are super skinny. is there some thing i can do to help please pm with suggestions. i want to help so mad those cages are like a little more the half the size of the super pet home extra large i have for my baby pig it so sad and there aren't any pigger rescues around here the closest one is 40 miles away.!!!!!!!!
 

Ly&Pigs

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Yes, all petstores that sell animals are bad. By buying from a pet store you contribute to the breeders and pet mills. I didn't realize there were "fake" breeders out there. You said you bought your pig from a "real" breeder. A breeder is a breeder and very few breeders are actually responsible breeders. To see the definition of a responsible breeder, see https://www.cavyspirit.com/responsiblebreeder.htm.

Also read these links:
https://www.cavyspirit.com/petstores.htm
https://www.cavyspirit.com/hollister.htm
 

dragon6483

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Ask to talk to thier Pet Care Manager. If they won't do anything, ask for the name and contact information of thier District Services Manager. Ask to see their policies on piggie care. *hint* If they have 6 piggies in thier cage they're not following policy.



piggersrule11 said:
well not all pet stores r bad i got my mocha from a pet store here and town and she was really well cared for there. and she came froma real breeders not a mill. while on the other side of town there are six pigs to a cage at the petsmart that are super skinny. is there some thing i can do to help please pm with suggestions. i want to help so mad those cages are like a little more the half the size of the super pet home extra large i have for my baby pig it so sad and there aren't any pigger rescues around here the closest one is 40 miles away.!!!!!!!!
 

Percy's Mom

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piggersrule11 said:
there aren't any pigger rescues around here the closest one is 40 miles away.!!!!!!!!
40 miles is almost nothing considering what some people on here have gone through to rescue a pig. Depending on the roads, in most parts of the country that's less than an hour drive. Personally, I've been lucky and my second was a rescue from a friend who really couldn't keep him any longer and was 5 minutes from me, but an hour (or 2 or 3 or even more within reason) doesn't seem like such a bad sacrifice if you want to rescue a new friend for your family.
 

ellenvega

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40 miles? Most rescues would probably deliver the pigs right to your home in that situation. The closest rescues to me are 2 HOURS away.

Buying from a breeder/petstore means there is one less home available for an animal whose life may be depending on it.
 

Sabriel

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Lina will travel 8 hours to get to her forever home. Whomever brings her will travel 16 hours!
 
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