Pet Stores Petco "small animal"weekend

[Power Piggies]

Fan-friggin-tastic. Petco is "celebrating "small animals this weekend. And to celebrate they have brought in double the number of their usual guineas and put them on "sale" for half price. That makes them about $9. At least at $40 people think twice before stuffing one in a pet store cage and taking it home.
I wish I could rescue one but we are going out of town and I don't think I can find two caretakers or trust someone else to quarantine properly for me. Plus I don’t want to add to the suceas of their "celebration" weekend.

 

[CavyMama]

$9.00 is half price of $40?

 

[lissie]

I wish I could rescue one but we are going out of town.

Buying from a pet store is not rescuing. You are giving them money to breed more. By buying, you are sending them a message that there is a demand for the product, and they will produce more. Think of the poor sow at the breeding mill that will have to go through back-to-back pregnancies just to support these demands.

 

[Power Piggies]

$19. Typo on my phone.

I know its not "rescuing" in the traditional sense. But as miserable as they all looked in there I wouls sure have felt like I was saving one! And I stated above I did not want to add to the popularity of their event.

 

[AmazingPiggie]

By buying them you are supporting mills that breed them.

 

[CavyMama]

$19. Typo on my phone.

Ahhhh that explains it Auto-correct is a pain sometimes LOL

I know its not "rescuing" in the traditional sense. But as miserable as they all looked in there I wouls sure have felt like I was saving one! And I stated above I did not want to add to the popularity of their event.

I understand your frustration and your heart is in the right place. It's maddening when stores put animals on "sale" just like they would for cat toys or fish tanks then promote it to get people in the doors. It's the nature of pet stores and people who buy from them. Anyone can plunk down some money and bring home a pet. There are no checks for how they will house the animal, if they know how to care for the animal. The stores don't care what someone's plans are for the animal. If they make the guinea pigs half price, what is to prevent someone with a snake from coming in to get a snack for their snake?

Many people are not aware that there is such a thing as adoption for guinea pigs. Either that or they don't want the "hassle" of filling out an application and contract, waiting for approval, etc. They would rather just run to the store and pick up a pig or two like they would for milk or bread.

I understand the feeling of wanting to "rescue" those pigs from their misery especially when you know you can provide a much more comfortable life for them but there will always be another pig to take its place in the misery. It's an endless cycle.

 

[MrsGuineaPig]

"Small Pet Celebration"

This past Saturday, my local Petcos had a "small pet celebration." It only lasted three hours but that doesn't even make a difference. Apparently they had a 50% sale of guinea pigs and hamsters and the Kaytee Complete Cage kits; which this was only for Rewards Members. You could "meet furry friends looking for parents", "learn small animal facts and get answers to all your pet care questions", and "get a free activity booklet."
This seemed like a sale for little kids who I know wouldn't care for the pigs and hamsters after a week. I obviously wasn't there but I just know they didn't tell people the right information and probably sold mixed genders and sick animals.
I thought it was 50% off all small animal stuff because I would've gone and bought some Oxbow treats and toys for Mocha until I read into it further. I just wanted to show up and stand there and tell people correct information and tell them to look for guinea pigs at rescues instead.
It just seemed like celebration for more money rather than the animals' sake.

 

[Power Piggies]

Re: "Small Pet Celebration"

I was just posting about this over the weekend. I hated that the price points made it so tempting for inexperienced people to dive in with no research. And I know my petco SPECIFICALLY recommends keeping guineas alone or they won't "bond" with their owners. So annoying!

 

[Gandalf]

Re: "Small Pet Celebration"

Our Petco had the same thing but it was for all weekend -- Saturday, & Sunday.

 

[CavyMama]

Since there were two threads on the same topic, I merged them together so they are all in one place.

 

[Power Piggies]

:-D Works for me!

 

[MrsGuineaPig]

On Saturday as I stated it was small pets and on Sunday it was a herbit crab sale or something like that.
I used to think I too was rescuing them from the pet stores until I realized I was just helping the mills and breeders do their job.
Now I know next time to adopt!

 

[mufasa]

Grrrrrr! Why on earth can't they use this as an adoption event instead of encouraging impulse purchases? My local Petco takes in piggies and other small animals for adoption (fee goes directly to Petco Foundation and you get whatever supplies they were dumped with). Sadly, they still sell small critters, too. I'm sure most people don't even realize that they do any small animal adoptions, so that would have been a perfect event at which to promote it, along with sharing information on responsible ownership. But nope...

 

[AmazingPiggie]

My local pet store is a family run one and after hearing av
out the petcos and pet shops like that I'm amazed what I hear, the pet shop hear has adequate sized cages for the pets housed there. they have information leaflets beside every pet they have, sometimes if you go in the manager will be at his desk with a guinea pig or rabbit on his knee asleep. over all the food they feed them the hay and the general well being if the animals is quite close to how it should be.
They also don't get their animals from breeding mills, they take let's in from people who's pigs have surprise baby's like my surprise a few months ago, they share the burden with the rescue down the road apparently and also give the rescue food and supplies. They also take in
unwanted piggies and act like a rescue making sure you have the just if the care and the correct cage (they have good sized 7square foot cages) and they run you through everything with you
, then they keep the pigs you are rescuing and put them in a separate cage and bring them to your house for you and they make sure the pig is going I to good hands, this is how I got one of my pigs (first one please don't judge )
I would never get my pigs there anymore but they seem better then any pet store I've heard about here and I guess I'm just lucky ( they have all the food and hay I need there)
they don't have sales and they insist on the person taking the pigs home getting two. They are more like a rescue, I have spoken to the manager about him getting in dust free hay in for me and he is very nice and we got into a long conversation about guinea pig care and he showed me pictures of this cage at home for his pigs and it is HUGE maybe 8x3 for three pigs with a loft all made out of wood with plexi glass, and I showed him my cage plan for my new cage (coming in October) and we had a lovely long chat. His shop is like a rescue and I get all my food and hay and toys there.

 

[Gforcepiggies]

Imagine this:
Owning a large building.
Having the great idea to ask to keep small animals from local shelters in the building. For the hamsters you could have beautiful cages and etc. for the guinea pigs, You could make huge plexiglass sided areas where all of the same sex guinea pig could roam. People could come in and have a person with real information tell them about pigs, and then the products in the store could be Oxbow, and you could sell C&C cages kits and or equipment to build the cage yourself.
This is my idea of a perfect guinea pig pet store. No breeders. correct information, and happy piggies and pet parents.

 

[kaitlynsara06]

I went to the petco celebration on Saturday. They had guests from a guinea pig rescue. I stayed for all three hours and helped to educate people on rabbit and guinea pig care. No one walked away with a half priced guinea pig, instead we gave them packets of how to care for rabbits, guinea pig, rat, hamsters and ferrets. we also gave them business cards to shelters to adopt a furry friend. thank goodness petco didn't kick us out for steering away their customers! here is one of the furry friends from the guinea pig rescue heres to hoping people take our advice on owning small pets!

 

[mufasa]

I'm so glad they let you stay and educate people. I think some of the workers at chain pet stores really do care about animals, even if they don't know about proper care. They seemed genuinely happy when I adopted Quinn, and they have small animals for adoption regularly even though that competes with what they sell. If only corporate would eliminate the small animals sales and go to all adoption, all the time. I think adoptions are a local store policy, as I haven't seen that at another Petco although I've heard of it. I asked at a couple of Petsmarts and they said they never do small animal adoption at their stores.