Pet stores

[My Baby Mu]

You know how you people don't like to buy guinea pigs from pet stores but if you buy one from a pet store you could be saving a life. I know you could be saving a life when you buy one at a shelter but its kinda like the pet store you could be saving a life.

 

[supertramp]

While it is true that buying a pig from a pet store is like saving its life, it just contributes to the big problem.

It is like a vicious cycle - as long as people continue to buy from petstores, petstores will continue to supply animals to the public. Furthermore, as long as petstores require animals, people will continue to breed them. The ones that aren't good enough will be discarded and the lucky ones will have to endure terrible conditions in ignorant petstores.

That is why taking in a guinea pig from a shelter is truly saving guinea pigs in the big picture, rather than just focusing on the life of one pig.

At least that's my philosophy anyway.

 

[ChadWPB]

Supertramppretty much sums it up. By buying from petstores a cruel cycle of abuse is supported. Pigs to petstores are transported like objects and many of them do not survive the trip.

Please read this: https://cavyspirit.com/petstores.htm

Plus stores do not screen potential pig owners, just whunk down the cash and go.

 

[My Baby Mu]

Supertramppretty much sums it up. By buying from petstores a cruel cycle of abuse is supported. Pigs to petstores are transported like objects and many of them do not survive the trip.

Please read this: https://cavyspirit.com/petstores.htm

Plus stores do not screen potential pig owners, just whunk down the cash and go.

Mine made it home from the pet store and is alive and happy and recently their is were no piggies in the pet store.

 

[CavyCrazyMom]

just my two cents....

Mine made it home from the pet store and is alive and happy and recently their is were no piggies in the pet store.

Mine made it home just fine too, and please keep in mind that not all pet stores are ignorant, please judge them one by one and not group them in a whole. I work at a pet store and I know what I am talking about when I talk to people, and if I don't know then I get someone who does (don't ask me about fish or reptiles...I'm clueless for the most part. But that's not my specialty on the other hand...). And our animals are VERY well cared for. Not that all pet stores are like mine, but please give credit where it's due.
I believe adoption is WAY better than buying, but I fell in love with mine when they were at the store, and I would rather know that I have a bond with them right away then to hope they like me...you know what I mean.

And I mean no disrespect to anyone here, please know that. I am a firm believer that everyone's oppinion matters....just please give me the same respect.
~~Cheri~~

 

[mncavylover]

I agree, but yours is the exception and definitely NOT the rule. It's great your store knows so much! =)

 

[CavyCrazyMom]

I would (sadly) have to agree with that statement. But know that the store I work for is addressing that problem by teaching the employees what they should know, and making sure that when they hire someone, they have a basic understanding of pet care. Also, I forgot to mention that I can refuse to sell someone a pet if I believe that they have the wrong intentions or may not be able to provide for that pet. It's a definate perk to my job! lol

~~Cheri~~

 

[mncavylover]

Wow. That's one cool pet store! What is it called, and where is it? (what state, etc.) Is it a chain, or just a privately owned store? Thanks!

 

[CavyCrazyMom]

Wow. That's one cool pet store! What is it called, and where is it? (what state, etc.) Is it a chain, or just a privately owned store? Thanks!

Well, I work for Petco in Anahiem Hills California. I know that you guys think they're bad, but I swear to you that not all of them are. Mine is a brand new store with all new people (except managment) and we treat our animals as good as our own. We change food and water 2 times a day, bedding is changed every 2 days, and everyone (with exception to mice and rats for the most part) are socialized so they are used to being held. There are occasions that the breeders bring them in pregnant and sick (we can tell that some are sick and we don't accept those ones, but there are times when they do get sick after being there because of the environment before), but we always separate them (by sex and breed) and the sick and pregnant ones are put in the back until they're better. I've seen mice taken to the vet. Feeders! lol Most people will say that's crazy, but that's Petco. An animal is an animal, and they come first. I can lose my job if I don't notice one is sick.
And we are givin classes on everything we sell so that we have a basic understanding of how to take care of animals...even if we already know how. And we are tested on that I might add. If we fail (no cheating and they don't give us the answers) we lose our jobs. There's no second chance.
I'm sure that all of them are not perfect, but I stand by my company because I know how it runs. We even have a guy that's in charge of going around and giving us 'walk throughs' to make sure everything is up to par. We even got marked down because we had a hampster with wet tail in a terrarium instead of an aquarium.
Anyway, I don't know why I feel the need to defend them, I know you guys aren't attacking me. I just felt bad that you thought bad of us I guess. Like I had to re-assure you guys we don't suck! lol
Oh, one more thing...I overheard a conversation from the big wigs, and they're going to start encouraging people to adopt instead of buy! (wich I do anyway on the downlow...) but seeing as we don't sell dogs or cats, that's a major thing.

OK, I'll shut up now.

TTYS

~~Cheri~~

 

[mncavylover]

Thanks for writing that big message, it helped. All I can say is wow. That sums it up! I can't believe how that store is going to promote adoption. How cool! =)

 

[CavyCrazyMom]

Thanks for writing that big message, it helped. All I can say is wow. That sums it up! I can't believe how that store is going to promote adoption. How cool! =)

lol...thanks! I thought it was awsome too! But it'll probably be a few months before it'll be public, but in the mean time, I'm working on getting some donations to cavy rescue here in Orange County, and also I'm working on having cavy rescue come out on the weekends when we have our other adoption agencies come out. I think that will be awsome when we have them out!!! My managers are for it, but they have to get the OK from the big wigs.

~~Cheri~~

 

[My Baby Mu]

The petstore I got my piggy at they made sure that I had the cage and everything all ready to go before I brought him home so I would think they're an ok store except they keep their piggys in smaller cage, but at least the pigs don't stay in they small cages long, but who knows if they go to a good home. Also they do take animals back so they're kind of like a rescue. =)

 

[cinn&sprinslave]

Thats awesome

The petco where I live just hires teenagers and stuff. I mean I know some teenagers know a lot about animals but you can tell that these ones don't. They try to sell these tiny cages for guinea pigs. They just don't take care of their animals at this petco. Then when I went to a totally new just built petco it was amazing how much of a difference there was the people were friendly and they knew a lot and their animals each had their own cage and they were just taken care of better. I am glad that the petco you work for is a good one. Thats so awesome that they promote adoption!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LiciaMommycott]

I bought my pigs from a pet store before I knew about the rescues. Normally I adopt (have done 4 cats and a dog) but I didn't think I had an option for small animals. I've got to say that my local PetCo seems to treat their animals really well. The piggies always have fresh veggies, are kept two to a cage, are sexed properly, etc. The guy working in the small animal department knew all their personalities and was hugging, kissing them and talking to them. My vet even said my pigs were in amazing shape - no problems of any kind. The only thing that ticked me off was the cage they sold me was far too small. I returned it right away after finding this web site and built a proper C&C cage.