Is it just me, or is it actually mindboggling that pet stores are permitted not to properly educate about the appropriate environment and needs of animals they sell? What I mean is, how are there not laws preventing sale of animals to people who intend to keep one guinea pig in a one and a half foot "cage," for example?
I needed to have this rant as recently I went down to my local pet store to grab some stuff for my fish, and I had a $20 voucher to use. So I proceeded to tell the employee that I have fish and guinea pigs, and she takes me to the small animal isle and starts showing me treats. I politely say my girls really don't need them, and she leaves me alone and I stand there, looking at all this stuff that is just so bad for guinea pigs and all I can think is...
How, even?
The obvious answer is money, but what on earth are animal rights groups etc doing about this? The RSPCA and so on?
The amount of ads I see regularly on Gumtree (Australia's Craiglist) advertising guinea pigs that need rehoming because "it's time for them to go" just astounds me. I really think there should be stronger restrictions on animal husbandry on the level of reptiles. You should need a license and be educated before you're allowed to keep any.
What are your thoughts?
I needed to have this rant as recently I went down to my local pet store to grab some stuff for my fish, and I had a $20 voucher to use. So I proceeded to tell the employee that I have fish and guinea pigs, and she takes me to the small animal isle and starts showing me treats. I politely say my girls really don't need them, and she leaves me alone and I stand there, looking at all this stuff that is just so bad for guinea pigs and all I can think is...
How, even?
The obvious answer is money, but what on earth are animal rights groups etc doing about this? The RSPCA and so on?
The amount of ads I see regularly on Gumtree (Australia's Craiglist) advertising guinea pigs that need rehoming because "it's time for them to go" just astounds me. I really think there should be stronger restrictions on animal husbandry on the level of reptiles. You should need a license and be educated before you're allowed to keep any.
What are your thoughts?