John, as one who has invested a life savings in rescue and trying to get people to change, I have to take issue with some of your comments.
First of all, I've written this many times, in many ways, and I'll write it again. You can think what you want about that animal that you "purchased" at the pet store--even if you "purchased" it at a 100% discount. Regardless of what YOU think about your actions, you ARE a CUSTOMER to the store. No more, no less. You are not a "rescuer." You are not "rescuing." Not by a long, long shot. You do a huge disservice to those of us who, in fact, are rescuing, by claiming that your actions are 'rescuing' that animal. You are just part and parcel of the on-going problem that the animal activists and welfarists are trying to put the brakes on.
I appreciate your other post about 'a' way to make change, but you need to appreciate that it's not the only way. And on your previous post you state: "You'll never get pet stores to stop selling pets and pet supplies and to try is futile. You have to approach the issue from a perspective that seems to give them a benefit in doing what you desire."
First of all, noone is suggesting that pet stores stop selling pet supplies. And because of public pressure brought to bear from activists and rescues and the like, the big chains no longer sell cats and dogs in their store. Some no longer sell rabbits--due to pressure from the HRS and their efforts.
The comment "to try is futile" just makes me angry. I'm so sick of that lay down mentality. It's hopeless. Give it up. My vote doesn't count, so why bother. Good grief. You can't honestly believe that.
"Telling people on the forums/internet accomplishes little in the long run, the people who already care enough about their pets are probably going to find this information and do something but most others will not."
More defeatist talk. Geez Louise. I also bought my first guinea pig at a pet store. Now look. A little basic research later told me there were pigs in shelters. 'No, really?' And a rescue was born and the rest is I guess an unfolding history. I've helped rehome over a 1000 and helped get I don't know how many in better environments and helped enlighten I have no clue how many people about the issues. That's just me. Take me, multiply by a whole lot of other people.
Perhaps you haven't noticed, but every day, the internet becomes more and more mainstream. Telling and talking and sharing things on the internet, does in fact, help. It helps IMMENSELY. Look at the new media devices that Microsoft is pitching. Internet on the TV. Times continue to change. No doubt, being strapped to your keyboard to post and read stuff on the net will seem like horse and buggy days in the not too distant future.
In the meantime, we keep spreading the word. We make the sites that have it RIGHT about the issues more popular than the lame sites and forums that support pets and animals as commodities.
Every person that buys their animal in a pet store and THEN comes here to learn about the right way and makes a C&C cage and hopefully now KNOWS that there are guinea pigs and other small furries in the shelters and rescues, is one more person in the grassroots system of change.
Every C&C cage (or large cage) owner out there becomes a ROLE MODEL for every person they see and touch. Family and friends. Every person that FINALLY gets the message that adopting ONE is SAVING at LEAST two guinea pigs, where as buying from a pet store is KILLING at least two guinea pigs, will help spread that message to their family and friends.
Don't believe the math?
Do you think all the rescues and shelters (Humane Societies, SPCAs, etc.) have the mantra Save a LIFE, Adopt! for their health? No. Because it's true.
Adoption:
Guinea pig "A" at shelter or at rescue. Sitting in a cage. Taking up space, time, resources, volunteer energies.
Guinea pig gets adopted. Cage space, time, resources, volunteer energy now go to guinea pig "B" in need.
Purchase:
Guinea pig "C" is purchased at a pet store. Guinea pig "A" runs out of time--no adopter. Guinea pig "A" is killed. Store's sales up, buys two more from distributor ("D" & "E") to replace "C." Guinea pig "D" is sold (where were you to 'rescue' that guinea pig?). Guinea pig "B" runs out of time for lack of an adopter and is killed.
And on it goes. In addition to the direct consequences are the indirect and spiraling consequences. When the rescues work with the shelters (like we and many others do), then when we are ABLE to get pigs adopted out, it tells the shelters to be a little more lenient with the time if at all possible, because, hopefully sooner or later, we'll be able to pull them or get them adopted out. The shelters start to feel easily overwhelmed and give up when they don't have rescues behind the scenes supporting them. That is why many, many shelters don't "take them in." Oh, they take them in alright. They are just put down immediately. They have no facilities for adoption--or manpower or knowledge.
Then there is the behind the scenes aspect of the pet trade that you are supporting by buying from the stores.
If you haven't throroughly read the pages and watched the video of this distributor, I strongly suggest you do so: (broken link removed). They are NOT an isolated case.
An increase in sales from the pet store is also a signal to the distributors and then to the breeders that more are needed. In the scheme of things, how the pet store takes care of their animals is a moot point. You all have no idea what these breeder's facilities are like. No flippin' clue. You think that it's the so-called 'responsible' breeders who are supplying the 'commodities' to the pet stores? Think again.
Some of the pro-pet store posts on here make me think of people buying into the cheese and dairy happy cow commercials. Yup, milk and cheese are good, and cows are happy in green pastures talking and singing to each other.
Every person makes a difference in animal's lives every day by where they shop and what they buy (and what they eat). Rationalize your decisions all you like. I certainly can't change that. But, I will not sit down and roll over with a defeatist attitude that every one of us can't make a difference. We can, we do, we are. It's just what kind of difference you are making.
Yes, there are more organized things to do. And yes, they would be and are good. I've gone down the path of many of them and continue to do so. But that doesn't mean that everyone can't do little things and be responsible for their own actions and decisions.
I'm sure that's too long for anyone to read. So, I guess I'd better stop.
And John, none of this is personal, just discussing the issues. Thanks for your post.
