[Gpdd] RE:HEALTH - preg pets from stores

[Michelle Melaragno]

Hi Helen,
	Yesterday, I took into my GP rescue two 4 month old sisters.
Their mother was purchased from a pet store when she was 8 weeks
old...already pregnant!  Of course, the folks did not know that she was
pregnant, and the adults thought that their daughter was over-feeding
her.  So in her last two weeks of pregnancy, they cut way back on her
food.  Thankfully, she suffered no ill effects and had the two healthy
pups.  I will observe them for about a week here, and have already
approved a new home for them!
	A couple years ago, after a fire tragically destroyed their home
and pets, some friends of mine purchased a rat and a hamster from a pet
store, both of whom were pregnant.  
	Every few weeks, when I feel I have an especially tough "outer
shell", I visit the 3-4 pet stores in my area to check the conditions of
the GP's (and other animals).  It's very difficult for me to stay
rational and politely offer to sex and separate the young piggies they
have, because inevitably, there is a "co-ed" cage.  I am currently
preparing the rescue space I have available to allow for the scores of
babies brought to the local shelter in another month or two...the pups
born to the GP's that ended up as Christmas "gifts"...the ones that no
one has any idea will have babies very soon.  It's very discouraging to
me.
	On the up side, I have now re-homed 13 GP's that have come
through my rescue...and that's only through word of mouth!  Once I am
licensed and legit, I will carefully expand the "visibility" of my
rescue and adoption efforts.  Two of the pups born 2 weeks ago in rescue
will be adopted into a Humane Education program!  The third will either
stay with mom or become a cage-mate to one of my single boars, depending
on girl or boy left!  Another plus is, as rescues come in during the
next few months, I will be able to pair adolescent boars with some of my
other single boars, some of them already neutered.  It will be test and
trial, but I hope to introduce some that will become good friends, then
adopt them out into new homes!
	If you are still interested in learning how many come in that
were purchased pregnant from stores, I'll be happy to keep in touch!

Michelle