Susan9608
Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2004
- Posts
- 3,342
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2004
- Messages
- 3,342
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.
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.