General Possible Lethal at Petco

As horrible as it would be, can you just buy her? PetSmart here sells guinea pigs for about $37. I don't know that I could justify the cost but if they find out she's a lethal, they may just put her down :/ I'd buy her before they figure it out! poor baby

I definitely could purchase her, I'd just really prefer to not pay them money & allow them to profit from their irresponsible breeding. I keep hoping if I tell them there is something so majorly wrong with her that they will let me have her just so they don't have to worry about it.

I know I wouldn't want to either but...I'd be so scared they'd say "What do you mean wrong with her? If she's sick I guess we'll have to put her down." and that would be bad. Ugh. I'd be so torn!

I honestly don't think they'll let you have her, since it's their policy not to sell or give out "damaged" guinea pigs since it might cause a few legalities for them; or so their policy supposedly says. I think if you tell them, they'll send her back to the breeder they bought her from and let them handle her since she might cause them more money.

SpazticNerd said:

I honestly don't think they'll let you have her, since it's their policy not to sell or give out "damaged" guinea pigs since it might cause a few legalities for them; or so their policy supposedly says. I think if you tell them, they'll send her back to the breeder they bought her from and let them handle her since she might cause them more money.

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Where did you get that from, may I ask? The brutal honesty of it is that they will euthanize before going through the trouble of sending her back. I've worked with a large store taking in their "damaged" animals. My papers simply stated you are not allowed to talk about why you got that pet for "adoption".

However convincing them to just give her to you can be difficult.

Could you possibly, just an idea, tell them about the lethal and offer to take her from them. If they say or act like they will get her put down, say that you'll buy her!

I wouldn't even mention that she might be a lethal, if you could purchase her, just do it.

I don't know PetCo's policy. If she was at PetSmart, you might stand a chance convincing them to allow you to adopt her. At PetCo I don't think they have "free adoptions". I think they do discount animals sometimes though.

Pawesomepet said:

Where did you get that from, may I ask? The brutal honesty of it is that they will euthanize before going through the trouble of sending her back. I've worked with a large store taking in their "damaged" animals. My papers simply stated you are not allowed to talk about why you got that pet for "adoption".

However convincing them to just give her to you can be difficult.

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My Petco literally told me that when I had called them to tell them that Coffee Bean had some missing fur around her ear and a large scab. They asked to take her back so they could return her to the breeder because they wouldn't want to have a guinea pig sold from them in a less than perfect condition. Their general manager said that it was their policy to return all "damaged" guinea pigs (and yes those were her words) to the breeder they received them from so they wouldn't have to deal with any legalities or have to pay any money for vet visits.

Maybe it varies where you're from???

Are you going to take her???

You don't know for sure if she's a lethal. Examine her, and see if she has all her teeth.

I've observed many a guinea pig at the big box pet stores with squinty eyes.

ClemmyOddieIndy said:

I don't know PetCo's policy. If she was at PetSmart, you might stand a chance convincing them to allow you to adopt her. At PetCo I don't think they have "free adoptions". I think they do discount animals sometimes though.

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They do. I got my first pig as a free adoption from Petco because he was older and passed over so many times.

I went to check her out today and she was gone. Super disappointed, but hopefully she wasn't a lethal and is in a good home now.

Thanks for the help everyone.

My guess is that if she was able to survive first the mill, then Petco, she probably wasn't a lethal. They die very early without special care.

I hope she is in a better home now.