Animal Welfare So appalled at the piggies' condition in my country

[claudinehere]

Before I start, I would like to thank all of the members of this forum for sharing all their knowledge about proper piggy care. I also love how this forum advocates adoption over buying from pet stores and breeders because seriously, there are so many homeless pigs out there that also need love from everyone.

Unfortunately, in our country, people don't really care about the welfare of their piggies. It breaks my heart every time I see piggies in horrible living conditions. I joined an online Philippine guinea pig community too, in hopes that I can find more information about proper piggy care and supplies in the Philippines. I was so shocked that this community just contained "ads" of people looking for breeders. There are also people who are breeding their pigs and they have so many that even they can't handle it! They also like showing off their cages (cages with wire bottom at that) with so many pigs cramped in it, and WITHOUT HAY. But one of the most appalling parts is that they also ask health-related questions there but everyone gives wrong advice. In my desire to share what I know to them, I tell them to bring the poor piggies to the vet, especially because the symptoms described in the discussions are so serious already. But it's so frustrating when they don't reply at all (and I just learn that the pig in question has already died) or tell me that they don't want to bring their pets to the vet because it's too expensive or they can't find an exotic vet. It just makes me wonder why these people even bothered to take care of guinea pigs if they didn't even research about their proper care before they got one. I try very hard to, in a way, educate everyone about what I have learned from this forum but it seems like they don't care at all because they think going the extra mile for their piggies is just an inconvenience. It's so heartbreaking.

 

[piggydaddy1]

You can only do so much. You can only provide the information to them, and its there choice to either do something with it or ignore it.

 

[claudinehere]

I know, but sometimes it's really frustrating. I don't know why people have so little regard for animals in this place, and I'm one of the few who feels differently. Some people there really appreciate the things I tell them especially about C&C cages and adoption, but most people just don't care at all. It's so sad isn't it? Sometimes I don't know if I should just keep on sharing what I know or just shut up because people don't listen... but I think of the piggies whose lives will be made better if their humans really took the time to listen.

 

[ClemmyOddieIndy]

I read somewhere the humane society was active in improving the welfare of dogs and cats in the Philippines. Have you considered contacting your local humane society and seeing if you could work with them to start an education campaign?

 

[claudinehere]

That's the problem, most of these groups are only concerned with the welfare of dogs and cats here, but not other pets. Even the rescue centers here don't accept guinea pigs and other small animals, so it's very common here to just throw away their pets and leave them to die wherever they may end up. So far none of these groups have responded to our concerns. That's why I was thinking that we should start sharing these things with a community that already loves piggies, only to find out that they're not willing to learn either D: