[Gpdd] Misc--Pet Stores--& Humane Societies???

[Debbieganley]

I've heard wonderful things about Petco, even tho we don't have them here--some PetSmarts are good, some aren't--it depends on the management.  Two of my girls, Potter & Molly, were both rescues from our local Humane Society--Potter, almost 3 years ago, Molly in May.  I became a volunteer at our local Humane in March, with the express purpose of working with the small animals that no one else apparently wanted to deal with.   It was initially wonderful, I was happy when the bunnies & pigs went to their new homes.  Then I started finding that the small animals were disappearing at an alarming rate--my days there were  Tues & Sat--I'd have a full group of pigs, bunnies, gerbils & mice (not all at the same time, but had them all here & there) on Tues--none in the building on Sat.  I asked the shelter manager what was going on & she told me a lovely story about a farmer who would come on Wed's & take all the small animals to his farm "to live out their lives."  I didn't buy it & went to volunteer one Sat & found Molly as the only animal  left in a back room.  The shelter manager told me she was the only one of 30 GP's who was deemed adoptable, after they were all taken  from a school who just let the pigs breed. The other 29 were "wild" & taken by the farmer, to "live out their lives" on the previous Wed.  Sorry, no one is going to take 29 wild GP's out of the kindness of their hearts.  I adopted Molly on the spot & quit volunteering.  I couldn't deal emotionally with that going on.  To make a very long story short--I heard that the "farm" was allegedly selling the pigs for snake food---Molly had 4 babies a few months later, 3 of whom got the most wonderful homes & we still have our one little girl, with Potter & Molly.    My point is that not all pet stores are bad, as well as not all Humane Societies are good places--I hope all of you have great experiences with your local Humanes & adopt pigs from there,  but a pet store might not be a totally bad place to adopt a pig from.    You just have to check out who needs a home & follow your heart.  Best of luck--Deb, Potter, Molly & Emma