Hi newbie with some questions.

[wombat]

Hi all,
I just want to say I dont want to start a debate or ask you to justify your beliefs. I have been reading this board and some of whats been said is really making me think and i have a few questions.
Are you against pet shops because there are piggies in rescues?
Are you against pet shops that care for the animals and breed responsibly? which i know are few and far between.
Are you completly against responsible breeding because you think its cruel or again is it that piggies in rescue needing homes?
I honestly am interested in your replies not because I want to try and change your mind or argue but because some of what I have read on here is making me change mine and i would really appreciate your points of view.
thanks

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Are you against pet shops because there are piggies in rescues?

That's a minor part of the reason but the other bigger part is that the majority of petstores don't take proper care of their animals, they feed them low quality food, they let them be ill and don't take them to the vet but rather just let them die instead. There are also the reasons that they don't separate sexes properly so often sows are bought pregnant unbeknownst to the customer. They are treated like stock rather than living sentient beings, they are left with mites that run rampant from pig to pig. The pigs and other animals are bought from breeding mills and backyard breeders or some even breed their own not having a clue what they are doing.

Are you against pet shops that care for the animals and breed responsibly?

I am because they don't know what responsible breeding is. Responsible breeding in my book is breeding to better the health of the animal, not for new breeds or colorings or to get that perfect "show" pig. There are thousands upon thousands of pigs in rescues all over the world, yet breeders keep putting their sows in risk to have pups just so they can sell them to petstores to be sold like a bag of food.

Are you completly against responsible breeding because you think its cruel or again is it that piggies in rescue needing homes?

I think there are so few responsible breeders out there trying to better the species. I haven't found a breeder yet or heard of any that are actually trying to do things like breed osteodystrophy out of pigs that carry the satin gene. There is a 20% chance the sow will die during pregnancy or giving birth. There is about that same chance that the pups will die. I've seen too many stories of members coming on the forum having lost entire litters of pups because they bought a petstore pig that they didn't know was pregnant.

You can't just look at the big shiny petstore and how well or not well it treats, cages, feeds it's animals. You have to always remember and look at the big picture you don't see. I've heard horror stories of back rooms of petstores, horror stories of how the animals are transported to the stores and horror stories of how the pigs are kept at the mills/backyard breeders. It's enough to break a persons heart.

 

[Fluffy_Guinea]

Well Ly said it all and said it perfectly another reason is that petstores only care about money and only money not the welfare of the animals they sell them as merchandise like products that enrages me and is one of the reasons I am against petstores. Ly it is true that all that is enough to break a person's heart it has already broke mine and I will do whatever I can to stop this. Sorry I can get a little carried away and emotional when it comes to these kinds of issues and have been known to rant a lot too hehe.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Responsible and reputable breeders do not sell to pet shops.

 

[Piggersrule]

Very well put LY, couldn't of said it better myself.

 

[John4216]

I would direct you to the following link and maybe it will help you to understand:

(broken link removed)

(broken link removed)

 

[wombat]

Thank you all for your responsies. I have a confession to make I own three pet shop bought piggies and four from breeders. I know the pet shop owners well that I got my piggies from and had thought because there animals were well looked after and they delivered there animals so they could see the new owners home and the animals living conditions it was ok. You have really made me think about this now and even tho there sows are only allowed three litters then kept as pets im now thimking thats three litters too many. When i asked about responsible breeders i did mean breeding to better the species like osteodystrophy in satin carriers not breeding for prettier colours. i have three peru piggies whose hair i keep short because i think its cruel for them to have ridiculously long hair kept in curlers and keeping them seperate to stop barbering. The breeder i got them off will only show in pet categories or shows with a clipped section because she agrees. she doesnt make money off her animals and keeps them as pets. I thought i agreed with this. Im now thinking why does it make her a better breeder because she looks after her animals and doesnt make money off them, its still animals going through pain for her hobby. Im feelin pretty crappy and ashamed right now to be honest. Iv contributed to more pigs ending up pregnant. Even if the pigs and there babies are well looked after the sows have still gone through painful pregnancys and babies the trauma of being taken away from there mothers because i wanted a pet.

 

[Jennicat]

You shouldn't be guilty about what you didn't know was happening. Most people here started with pet store or breeder pigs. Use this to make change happen! Volunteer with a rescue!

 

[wombat]

Thanks for that. I had already spoke to my closest rescue thats about an hour from me a few weeks ago and start fostering for them in the winter. Thats part of the reason i posted my questions on here. Going to see the rescue talking to them and starting fostering had really made me think.

 

[crazywiggy]

Don't feel guilty - most of us have bought from pets from pet stored or breeders in the past. What is more important is that you have taken the time to do some research and consider the bigger picture. Well done!

 

[masher]

Don't feel guilty, many members here started off here like you did. It's great you're already thinking about helping a resuce - good on you

 

[babybunny]

I understand the guilt, but like others have said, most of us started that way as well. It's what you are doing now that counts. Becoming more educated and volunteering is definitely going in the right direction. Keep up the good work.

 

[MCR_Rox]

Are you against pet shops because there are piggies in rescues? Yes.
Are you against pet shops that care for the animals and breed responsibly? Yes.
Are you completly against responsible breeding because you think its cruel or again is it that piggies in rescue needing homes? Yes.

 

[sohappy2beme]

Hindsight is 20/20. We have zero rescue shelters in my state and our humane society may get a piggie in every month or less. But after reading horror stories here and becoming more educated, I too will not buy from a petstore again. I will wait for a piggie to become available at our humane society. I think we were all in your boat one time or another and I wouldn't beat yourself up over what you did not know.

 

[muffynilla]

Um, I don't really know what to say, but I am against Pet shop breeding because there are piggies in shelters that need a home, If I get another pig I will probably look for one in a shelter first!

 

[wombat]

Thanks for that. Definently will never buy from a pet shop or breeder again. Just hoping I dont end up falling in love with the ones im fostering.

 

[rxqueen]

Hindsight is 20/20. We have zero rescue shelters in my state and our humane society may get a piggie in every month or less. But after reading horror stories here and becoming more educated, I too will not buy from a petstore again. I will wait for a piggie to become available at our humane society. I think we were all in your boat one time or another and I wouldn't beat yourself up over what you did not know.

It's amazing that some places have very few shelters with guinea pigs. From what I saw on petfinder, there's about seven shelters here in Washington with guinea pigs.

 

[sohappy2beme]

It's amazing that some places have very few shelters with guinea pigs. From what I saw on petfinder, there's about seven shelters here in Washington with guinea pigs.

Guinea pigs don't seem so popular here. Hamsters, gerbils and ferrets are illegal, and I only have one friend that has a guinea pig. I went on Petfinder and found nothing, and the search thru this site took me only to our humane society. Maybe its a good thing--maybe there are no unwanted piggies.....

 

[Jennicat]

To be honest, I think that all places have a guinea pig overpopulation, but many shelters just don't take them, so the pigs don't end up with shelters. They just get rehomed through Craigslist, or given to friends. Even here, where the shelters do take pigs, many of them never make it to Petfinder.

 

[sohappy2beme]

I tried Craigslist and it came up blank. I asked my vet and she said probably just word of mouth. I know there are breeders somewhere because all the pet stores usually have at least a few but you never hear about them. Even she said our humane society hardly ever gets them in--you just have to bookmark their page and check regularly. I guess there'd have to be unwanted piggies--there's unwanted everything--but God, it is so hidden!