[Gpdd] Announce: Welcome!! and Shelter Spay/Neuter Practices

[leah.mcneil at wachovia.com]

Hi Mary K, Buttons, and Canela!
First of all, whee would like to send you
a BIG Welcome to the Digest!!! This a great
place for piggie lovers and I'm sure you all
will be very pleased here.

Next, I would like to tell you what the Spay/Neuter
practices are for piggies at the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Animal Shelter in North Carolina
(where I volunteer). Last month, I adopted a
piggie from that shelter and so I asked if they
spay/neuter piggies and at first, someone told
me 'yes'. So, I was already ready to tell them
that I wanted the Vet of my choice (Dr. Griffin, an
Exotics Vet located just north of Charlotte, NC) to
perform the spay (if that was a requirement) and
that I would pay for it myself. Because there was
no way I would trust their 'Cat 'n Dog' Vet to
perform a Spay on my little girl. Forget it. And
no offense to the Cat 'n Dog Vets, but I just knew
in my Heart that their Vet wasn't qualified to do
that kind of surgery.

So, later I found out that their Vets do Not perform
the Spays/Neuters on the guinea pigs (and the
hamsters, gerbils, rats, & other small ones)...Whew!
[HUGE Sigh of Relief] But, they DO perform the
surgeries on the Buns (???). I didn't like the
sounds of that either, but like you said, you can't
change the shelter's policies. All you can do is
Educate and hope to make a difference.

Last wheekend, this couple adopted this gorgeous
chocolate baby bunny and they seemed to know
a lot about buns. And they told me that the shelter
will neuter him for $22.50. They had already checked
with Dr. Griffin and if they used him, it would cost
around $200. So, they opted for the shelter Vet,
to save money. Now, I know that $200 is a lot of
money, but in my opinion, well worth it knowing
that your baby is with an Exotics Vet, and not a
Cat/Dog Vet that is practicing with buns on the side.
To each his own, I suppose.

Anyways, the Princess and I would again like
to WELCOME you and your crew!!! Whee can't
wait to hear more about ya'll...Wheeek!
 
         Love 'n Wheeeeeeeps,
               Leah...Slave to Princess Snowflake :-)