No More Pet Store Guinea Pigs - A Petition

[Lynx]

A current member requested I add a link to a petition she worked on.

Guinea Lynx has long been pro-adoption.

I can say that the suggestion to hold adoption events instead of sell purposely bred guinea pigs is absolutely a better choice, though it may be difficult to find guinea pigs for adoption in some areas. Still important to advocate, though! I am going to add most of the text from the petition (will check to see if that is okay).

Here's the petition:
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/no- ... uinea-pigs

We are asking US pet store chains Petco, Pet Supplies Plus, PetSmart and others to stop stocking guinea pigs and host adoption days instead.

US pet stores that sell guinea pigs have created nothing more than homeless guinea pig populations, crippling medical expenses and heartbreak for responsible guinea pig owners.

Commercial pet stores are notorious for selling poorly bred guinea pigs with health issues, and they are often misgendered. While on display for sales, guinea pigs are kept in crowded, unventilated housing and fed a poor diet. Stores make bad matters worse by selling inadequate "starter kits" and questionable supplies to customers.

US animal rescue organizations are frequently over capacity dealing with the uncontrolled breeding and serious diseases caused by these stores' profit-first policies. Signing this petition will send a clear message to guinea pig mills and commercial pet stores to stop this horrific practice now!

As a commentary, I do think a few pet stores are fortunate to have one or two knowledgeable staff members who do a pretty good job of educating the public concerning what guinea pigs need to be healthy. It is still important to ALWAYS do your own research. The guidelines here at Guinea Lynx are "the best"! ;-) (but you still need to read widely and make wise decisions!)

And hands down, adoption is the way to go!

[ItsaZoo]

I would like to see better oversight for sourcing of any pet animals. Something that would move breeders and pet stores to humane care and transport, and better information to the public. Then the people raising and caring for animals the right way would be rewarded and the unscrupulous would be shut down.

The problem with bans is that the legitimate and conscientious parties will abide by the ban and shut down. This leaves the unscrupulous, who don’t care about bans and laws, to continue raising and selling animals that are inbred, sick, malnourished, etc.

I see this happening with dogs. The rescues are overflowing with pit-mix and shepherd-mix large dogs. At the same time there is a shortage of small dogs. The laws and animal rights groups have made it so difficult for legitimate breeders that they have shut down. At the same time, puppy mills are producing sickly puppies in the smaller breeds.

In our state we have one pet shop that sells small breed puppies. The breeders are inspected, certified, and held to the highest standards for care and health. The store has a 1-year health guarantee, the puppies are socialized and exercised while they are in store, and if the new owners can’t keep the puppy for any reason, the store takes them back. They are doing everything right, and they are constantly harassed for selling puppies.

[Lynx]

Definitely not a one size fits all. Your pet shop example demonstrates a better way to do it. An example of when rescues do not have the dogs people are looking for.

[ItsaZoo]

I’ve read a few articles recently about people who have decided they will never rescue another dog because they had so much trouble with shelter dogs. Well-meaning shelters with no-kill policies try to find homes for every animal and some of the animals they adopt out have such serious behavior problems they are dangerous.

Something that stuck with me was one writer’s opinion about purchasing from breeders. We have been told that with so many pets in shelters, if we purchase from a breeder, another shelter pet remains homeless. But this is only true if the shelters have pets that are compatible with our lifestyle. If I’m an older person looking for a small dog, and the shelters have large, strong, active dogs, I’m not going to adopt one of those. In this case, my purchase from a responsible breeder makes no difference to the shelter dogs.

[Lynx]

On my daily walk yesterday, on the way home I accompanied a neighbor who was out walking her family dog on a leash. She has gone to great lengths early on training the dog at various locations but even at two, he is rambunctious and would happily jump on someone. Fortunately not a big dog (more medium) and a friendly dog. But some dogs would be tough to walk for a more frail person. I believe "adopted" from someone who had an unwanted litter so their dog since puppyhood.

[ItsaZoo]

Dogs have 3 times the muscle strength of humans, pound for pound. So a medium-sized dog at 40 lbs has the strength of a human weighing 120 lbs. Larger dogs would be like blocking and holding a football linebacker. Many of us would end up on the ground. Temperament makes a huge difference.

[Lynx]

By the way, this neighbor is trying a new kind of leash that I think part of wraps around the muzzle - kind of gently. If I remember right, his head can be pulled down slightly which slows him down and makes it less likely he will jump on someone. The leash had a name but I don't remember what it was.

I still greatly sympathise with your wanting a smaller dog! The smallest dog in the neighborhood is just adorable. A little bitty thing. Doesn't bark! Bold but friendly.

[ItsaZoo]

It might be a Gentle Leader or a similar product. It’s a type of head halter or harness that deters pulling. With a regular collar, when the dog pulls, the handler ends up behind the dog with the leash held tight trying to keep the dog from jumping. This only encourages the dog to pull harder. The head halter redirects the dog so it doesn’t pull or jump.

[Lynx]

Yes, sounds like it is something like that. I have also admired the chest halters that don't go around a dog's neck. My neighbor's dog does not yet recognize he is getting older ;-)