[Gpdd] [MISC] <I need a piggie>

[petunia_loo at yahoo.com]

Jarryd,
Where are you located? There are several places you
can look to try to find a rescue piggie. Call your
local shelters, humane societies, and spcas. Give them
your name and tell them you are interested in a piggie
if they take one in, and to give you a call. Many
shelters and rescues too won't adopt to anyone under
18 or 21, so if you are, have your parents contact
them. Also, go to cavyrescue.com and check in the
"cavy classified" sections for people looking for new
homes for their pigs. You should also check in local
paper's classifieds, as well as postings that people
may have made in local pet stores.
If you are going to buy from a breeder, please ask if
you can visit the breeder's breeding facilities. There
is a MASSIVE number of people who call themselves
breeders ("backyard breeders") but are nothing more
than piggie mills (which is also where most pet store
pigs come from) which do not treat their pigs for
medical illnesses, keep them in substandard
conditions, and often dump many of the animals to a
humane society or shelter when they decide they have
too many to handle. For proof, just look at the recent
MD case involving over 250+ sickly and mistreated
guinea pigs seized by such a breeder. Or look at the
various rescue transport online groups out there for
cats and dogs that will give you an idea.
But of course, there are breeders that are considered
"legitimate" by the standards of the breeding
community and perhaps the American Cavy Breeders
Association. If you do come across such a breeder,
please ask them if what their practice is regarding
"culls." Culling can refer to the removing of pigs
whose genetic traits make them not desirable for
breeding purposes, sometimes by having them neutered
or by simply not breeding them. However, it is
practice by some breeders to euthanize relatively
healthy pigs that are not genetically desirable. For
example, if the breeder determines that a pig is too
genetically prone to developing a certain illness,
HOWEVER TREATABLE THAT ILLNESS IS, he/she may choose
to euthanize that animal and as many others as they
feel partly because it is cheaper than paying for
treatment, even if that treatment is only short-term.
Personally, I would not support a breeder who
practices this.
Best of luck in finding your new piggie. Please let me
know what area you are in, it may be possible to
arrange transport from a rescue to your area.
~Lauren, Piglet and Pooh

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Tens of millions of healthy companion animals are euthanized each year in the U.S. Adopt a homeless pet. Have your pets spayed and neutered.

Join the Guinea Pig Rescue Transport Group!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpig_transport


		
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