[GPDD] Breeding re: in defense of Lisa
Renee Roszkowski
rrgallop44 at mindspring.com
Tue Feb 17 23:21:34 EST 2004
I couldn't have said it any better myself. I completely agree with what
Lauren has said. Most of us do have a knee jerk reaction to
breeding-NO!! I personally am involved with a guinea pig rescue and see
some of the results of irresponsible breeders and irresponsible pet
owners. We do need to remember that there are responsible breeders out
there (and not just guinea pigs). These people love the animals that
they breed and take great care to give them the best of care and find
the best possible homes for them. I think Lauren has given some very
sound advice. There is nothing inherently wrong with being a
small-scale, responsible breeder. As long as the greatest concern is the
best for the animals, responsible breeding can greatly contribute to the
well-being of breeds. Responsible breeders can also be a wealth of
knowledge and experience. I don't think that anyone meant anything
against you personally. I think that we see so many piggies in need here
in the U.S. that it is sort of ingrained in us that breeding is bad.
That is not necessarily true. I would definitely try to become involved
with another responsible breeder or cavy club in your area. That would
be a great way to start out. It sounds like you have thought this
through and are fairly well prepared for setting out in your breeding
venture. There is a website that I would suggest. It is for starting a
Guinea pig rescue, but the forms available on the site would give you a
good idea for some of the screening process that I would suggest using
for potential buyers.
(http://members.aol.com/homeforgps/advice/howtostartGPR.htm)
I appreciate you coming to the GPDD to ask your questions so that you
may make a good start. I hope this hasn't turned you away from GPDD. I
think this forum is invaluable. I hope that you continue to ask
questions. I wish you the best of luck.
Renee, Mary and Molly, Patches, Kate and Dora, Flash
Message: 13
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 19:27:50 -0500
From: "Lauren Cordeiro" <lauren_cordeiro at student.uml.edu>
Subject: [Gpdd] re: [BREEDING] <in defense of Lisa>
To: <Gpdd at gpdd.org>
Message-ID: <002501c3f5b6$105cb530$673f3f81 at Lauren>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I've got to step back for a minute here in regards to Lisa's defense of
her starting to breed GPs. The fact is, we do not all own guinea pigs
because they needed to be rescued; we own them mainly because they make
fun and loving pets. If it is true, which it very well could be, that in
her region of New Zealand there does not exist a surplus GP population,
then from my own moral standpoint I wouldn't have a problem with her
breeding, and in fact if I were there might even buy my piggies from
her. The fact is that yes, many GPs in stores do end up as snake food,
and as a GP lover I don't want to support that, which is why I will try
never to buy from a petstore again, as you may have read from my last
rant. That's why independent breeders can be a very positive thing for
the guinea pig community, if there's not already a local surplus.
Independent breeders, like humane shelters, can screen potential
families, reducing the risk of potential GP abuse. And because she cares
for the GPs herself, and is not selling them through a second party
(i.e. some minimum-wage high school kid who doesn't know crap about
GPs), she could be able to provide them experienced advice. Also,
because as she says, she is doing this from her home, and not some
undisclosed breeding facility in God-knows-where, she would possibly be
able to be held more accountable by people who would come to her farm
and actually look at the area where the animal lives. Just think, if, by
the grace of God there was virtually no more guinea pig over-population
in your or my area. Would you give up sharing your lives with guinea
pigs? Perhaps a lot of us would feel that we give them as much joy and
love and as they give us, as well as an enjoyable life, and would opt to
purchase a guinea pig from a friend who breeds them, or from a local
breeder with a good reputation and whose breeding facilities were
completely open to potential adopters. I would. If there wasn't a
surplus, that is. So Lisa, I would just suggest that if you are going to
go into the business you would consider the following:
a) do not sell guinea pigs to petstores. Try to sell only directly to
potential families. Most stores do not screen potential owners, and many
sell GPs with the knowledge that they will be live food, or killed in an
inhumane way (frozen, bludgeoned, suffocated) to become food. Also, many
petstore employees have limited knowledge of guinea pig care. Most
petstores, at least here, seem to put pigs in the smallest place
possible for economic benefit. As a guinea pig owner yourself, I would
assume that you would be more likely to give your babies the same
quality dwelling and care as your own personal pets.
b) screen your prospective buyers. Ask them specific questions about
their plans for housing and living conditions, feeding, bedding, and
stimulation.
c) educate your customers in proper guinea pig care. Suggest
alternatives if something comes up while screening them. If the animals
are going to be handled by children, make sure that the kids are told
how to correctly handle the very delicate creatures, and how to avoid
dropping them. To a lot of inexperienced owners the GPs seem robust, but
indeed their skeletons are particularly fragile.
d) Give them the name and number of veterinarians who you would
recommend. If they already have a vet in mind, ask for that vet's name
and number and double-check he/she is experienced in guinea pig care.
e) be honest with your customers about potential illnesses and their
medical costs. No guinea pig should be left to suffer in a cage or in a
shelter because their owner does not recognize/did not prepare for a
serious illness.
f) insist on, and possibly even make them sign a contract saying, that
if for some reason they can no longer care for a pig or if they lose
interest, they return it to you, no questions asked. This would ensure
that instead of ignoring a pig's needs or letting a pig die, they would
be free to get if off their hands. I know this may be more of an expense
for you and a "free ride" for irresponsible owners, but, really the
pig's life would be safeguarded this way. Also, if I were a prospective
buyer, knowing that you had this policy would make me feel even better
about buying a pig from you.
g) Set a pen or two aside for any future homeless pig you might come
across. This one might be just for you, so you can always keep in mind
that the animals themselves are number one, not the hobby/business.
h) Set the standard of care for the pigs you raise equal to or higher
than the standard you set for your own personal pets, and never
compromise this standard for economic profit.
i) forgive us for portraying you as a selfish, money-grubbing exploiter
of furry animals. A lot of us are from places that experience rampant
pet over-population, and as a result our knee-jerk reaction to the word
"breeding" is "No!" But I think as long as you truly have the guinea
pigs' interest at heart, and have a little space in reserve just in case
you do come across any cases of homelessness or cruelty, then you should
feel free to give all those New Zealanders the same joys of guinea pig
parenting as we enjoy.
Thanks,
Lauren, Piglet and Pooh Bear
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