Pet stores improving?

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mmeadow
Supporter 2004-2022

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:45 am


If your mom is nervous about credit card security online, let her know that most online retailers accept personal checks. For example, Oxbow Hay allows you to place your order online, and then mail in a check or money order. After the check clears, they send your order. Just like the old days of paper catalogs, when we'd mail or phone in our orders.

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mmeadow
Supporter 2004-2022

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:49 am


Is buying everything BUT the piggies from a petstore just as bad as buying everything there?
I think it is, because they don't make their money from the animals. Just compare a one-time purchase of a guinea pig for $35 to a monthly purchase of $35 worth of CareFresh bedding. It's a racket. The animals are a "loss-leader", the hook to get you addicted to the store. Unfortunately that relatively inexpensive item is a living, feeling creature. Just say no!

Brandilynn
Who's your Branni?

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:13 am


You can also purchase Visa and Mastercard gift cards from places like Wal-Mart and the grocery store and use them to order on line. They arent attached to anything but the amount they are good for, so its not an issue of anyone getting personal information from the use of them.

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Sammiannes Man

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:14 am


We have a sanctuary piggy named Veronica. She's also the only female of 10 total, including all of our fosters. The fact that she's sick certainly doesn't deter Me from loving the stuffings out of her and I treat her every bit as if she were My own personal little girl.

I try not to think of when she'll not be here but rather enjoy the time I was granted by the fostering agent.

She's My Princess and always will be. She doesn't mope around, has a VERY large set of lungs too. -LOL- and is a total love bug.

It is heart breaking to lose a piggy true, but at least I'll know that while she was here she was loved fully, and her life will be full and as pleasent as I can make it for her and if anyone tried to "rotate" her out of My care *grin* I'm BIG and ya hafta go through Me first to get her -LOL-

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Knhappyface

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:00 pm


let her know that most online retailers accept personal checks. For example, Oxbow Hay allows you to place your order online, and then mail in a check or money order.

The thing about that is she'd think they would take the check and not send the goods. In my opinion, she's beyond paranoid. I usually have to find ways to work around it =P

User avatar
Knhappyface

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:01 pm


Oh, and about the Ospika Pets, Alibabble - they only have one Guinea Pig for adoption, and he's a longhaired. I definately DO NOT want a longhaired.

Brandilynn
Who's your Branni?

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:07 pm


*The thing about that is she'd think they would take the check and not send the goods. In my opinion, she's beyond paranoid. I usually have to find ways to work around it =P *

You can also purchase Visa and Mastercard gift cards from places like Wal-Mart and the grocery store and use them to order on line. They arent attached to anything but the amount they are good for, so its not an issue of anyone getting personal information from the use of them.

bingley

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:33 pm


I can say from experience there is no reputable pet store. I bought my current guinea pig from a small family owned pet store that is very popular in this small relatively wealthy community 30 minutes away from my house. They lived in a huge hutch with veggies, hay, etc. Guess what? I found lice on Bingley a month after bringing him home. THere is NO such thing as a good petstore. I will be adopting his friend from a rescue this summer, no doubt.

I totally understand that it is much harder because you cannot find any local shelter/rescue in your area, but you are saving yourself a lot of heartache in the long run, trust me.

I also noticed a previous poster said you can order oxbow from local vets sometimes. Thats a great way to build a relationship with a vet and get your products without bugging mom about her credit card. (My parents are the same, my dad finally got a credit card that we just use for online purchases).

Good luck!

User avatar
Feylin

Post   » Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:43 pm


The bigger question though is where did Bingley come from? I bet if you could see that mill/ byb you'd be HORRIFIED.

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sammianne

Post   » Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:02 am


There are 1,174 reasons on this page to choose adoption over buying a pig.

http://www.petfinder.com/breeds/smallFurry

User avatar
HPiggies

Post   » Thu Jun 05, 2008 11:46 am


I went to my supply store yesterday and picked up some oxbow stuff. I thanked the owner simply for being there and running his business. He often takes people's unwanted pets (birds, rodents) and finds them homes or good rescues. I recently gave them the name of a good GP rescue in the area, and he says he is developing a good relationship with them. If only *all* animal lovers could come in contact with these amazing people and products they would realize that the *norm* is actually pretty awful. I admit, as an immature, ignorant animal lover, I used to frequent pet stores. Then I started to research... and here I am.

User avatar
Cheshire Catfish

Post   » Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:02 pm


I think some of you are making very general, reactionary statements, maybe without considering all the sides of this issue.

I want to be clear: I agree that getting an animal from a rescue is always better.

What I disagree with is the statement that "all pet shops that sell animals are evil and bad."


Let me make a few points before you all jump on me:


1) Good pet shops that sell animals DO exist. My family runs one:

* We will not do business with any breeding mill of any kind. We sell small numbers of GPs and bunnies we get from a local breeder. We also take in shelter-bound kittens and sell them to good homes for a price that covers our cost to look after them. We do not sell puppies at all because we don't feel that we can take good enough care of them at the shop.
* We take care of our animals at the store. That includes treating illnesses! We don't sell sick animals, and there have been times we've paid $200 vet bills for an animal with a $30 price tag. Luckily we don't have to do that often because the animals we get tend to be very healthy.
* We will not sell any animal (not even a goldfish) to a person unless we can educate them about how to care for it properly.
* We carry only quality pet foods and products (Oxbow in the case of bunnies and piggies) and educate our customers about proper nutrition and health care.



2) For every one of you who has the patience to do the research and the waiting to get a pet from a rescue, there are 50 people out there who don't. They will go to the closest pet store and buy the first cute thing they see. It would be great if we could change all their minds, and maybe someday we will, but right now they are the vast majority and saying extreme things like "never buy an animal from anywhere" will usually get you ignored. That really is the truth.



3) So here's how it works: an impulse-buyer decides she wants a GP. Like so many people, she drives to the nearest pet shop without doing any research. Suppose that pet shop happens to be ours:

If we have GPs in the shop:
She'll walk in to our shop and say, "I want that GP there. How much is it?" and I have an opportunity to get her a healthy GP, educate her about its needs, and make money by selling her quality food for it.

If our shop had no GPs in it, but only supplies:
She will walk out of our shop without talking to me at all. Then she'll drive to the nearest Petsmart (unethical big box store), buy a sick GP, learn nothing, and feed it the cheapest food available. Another breeding mill makes another buck, and another poor piglet is doomed to a shot sad life.



Considering all that, do you still think we should just stop carrying animals, and let all those thousands of people do business with breeding mills instead?

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