Local GP breeder... You're still supping the breeder.
Why don't you have the local snimal shelter/rescue do adoptions over at your store instead?
Pet stores improving?
"Local GP breeder... You're still supping the breeder.
Why don't you have the local snimal shelter/rescue do adoptions over at your store instead?"
Yes, we are still supporting the breeder. My point was that one breeder is not equal to another... it's far better to support a local low-volume breeder who treats animals well then to drive the impulse buyers to support a piggie mill instead.
As for doing adoptions at the shop, I have suggested it and I think we should. But, There is a stigma to that- even though it's not true, many customers will choose to buy from a big box store instead because they think rescue pig = sick/mean pig.
Why don't you have the local snimal shelter/rescue do adoptions over at your store instead?"
Yes, we are still supporting the breeder. My point was that one breeder is not equal to another... it's far better to support a local low-volume breeder who treats animals well then to drive the impulse buyers to support a piggie mill instead.
As for doing adoptions at the shop, I have suggested it and I think we should. But, There is a stigma to that- even though it's not true, many customers will choose to buy from a big box store instead because they think rescue pig = sick/mean pig.
"It took me 4 yrs to convince some family members that adopting from shelters and rescues had its MAJOR ++++'s =) Takes a lot of patience and time. But in the end, it's worth it."
The fact that it takes 4 years sometimes to convince people to adopt is part of my point. You can take 4 years to work on a friend or family member. I would love to be able to convince every customer to adopt- but the fact is I don't get 4 years to work on them.
If I have animals in the shop, I get the opportunity to teach them how to take good care of a pig, and give them good resources.
If I have no animals in the shop, I don't get the opportunity to teach them anything at all - I'm just sending them to the breeding mill shop across the street.
The fact that it takes 4 years sometimes to convince people to adopt is part of my point. You can take 4 years to work on a friend or family member. I would love to be able to convince every customer to adopt- but the fact is I don't get 4 years to work on them.
If I have animals in the shop, I get the opportunity to teach them how to take good care of a pig, and give them good resources.
If I have no animals in the shop, I don't get the opportunity to teach them anything at all - I'm just sending them to the breeding mill shop across the street.
Just curious... Do you know if the local breeder you get your pigs from also supplies to the other Pet Stores or just you? I mean, do you go to them to get the pigs or do they deliver the pigs to you? Do you know the living condition and breeding condition over there?
Why not take in shelter-bound pigs to sell like you do with the shelter-bound kittens? You can be sort of like a piggy rescue? Just suggesting.
Why not take in shelter-bound pigs to sell like you do with the shelter-bound kittens? You can be sort of like a piggy rescue? Just suggesting.
Think of it this way:
Right now, most people buy from breeding mills and mistreat their animals. Ideally, we would like everyone to always adopt and treat their animals perfectly.
You can't go directly from point A to point B. People just don't change their ways that fast- there have to intermediate steps, like getting people to ask where a shop gets its animals before they buy, and convincing them to spend the extra money on quality food. Once that is widely accepted, then we can go father.
Right now, most people buy from breeding mills and mistreat their animals. Ideally, we would like everyone to always adopt and treat their animals perfectly.
You can't go directly from point A to point B. People just don't change their ways that fast- there have to intermediate steps, like getting people to ask where a shop gets its animals before they buy, and convincing them to spend the extra money on quality food. Once that is widely accepted, then we can go father.
"Just curious... Do you know if the local breeder you get your pigs from also supplies to the other Pet Stores or just you? I mean, do you go to them to get the pigs or do they deliver the pigs to you? Do you know the living condition and breeding condition over there?"
I don't actually know whether they supply anyone else. I'm not the owner, and I don't do a lot with the small animal department (aquatics are more my specialty, but I talk with customers about all types of animal). But, I do know that the owner (my mom) is very anti- breeding mills, and I'm sure she's done the research on her sources.
"Why not take in shelter-bound pigs to sell like you do with the shelter-bound kittens? You can be sort of like a piggy rescue? Just suggesting."
I do intend to look into that and try to pitch the idea to her if it sounds feasible. When you get a rescue animal, there tends to be a fairly strict application process. I'm not sure if a rescue organization would trust us to do that for them, and I'm not sure if the impulse-buyers would put up with that when they can go across the street and get a pig with no questions asked (because if they do that it defeats the purpose).
The kittens we usually get because individuals bring us unwanted litters saying "it's you guys or the pound." Occasionally someone will bring in an unwanted piggie or bunnie, and we take those in to.
I don't actually know whether they supply anyone else. I'm not the owner, and I don't do a lot with the small animal department (aquatics are more my specialty, but I talk with customers about all types of animal). But, I do know that the owner (my mom) is very anti- breeding mills, and I'm sure she's done the research on her sources.
"Why not take in shelter-bound pigs to sell like you do with the shelter-bound kittens? You can be sort of like a piggy rescue? Just suggesting."
I do intend to look into that and try to pitch the idea to her if it sounds feasible. When you get a rescue animal, there tends to be a fairly strict application process. I'm not sure if a rescue organization would trust us to do that for them, and I'm not sure if the impulse-buyers would put up with that when they can go across the street and get a pig with no questions asked (because if they do that it defeats the purpose).
The kittens we usually get because individuals bring us unwanted litters saying "it's you guys or the pound." Occasionally someone will bring in an unwanted piggie or bunnie, and we take those in to.
Well, at least the people around you know that they can trust you for good care of their unwanted pets. It's a start =)
I'm sure sometimes the shelters get overcrowded with small animals and they would be more than happy to have someone take them before having them euthanized. Maybe your store can be that safe place for these little critters?
I'm sure sometimes the shelters get overcrowded with small animals and they would be more than happy to have someone take them before having them euthanized. Maybe your store can be that safe place for these little critters?
"I'm sure sometimes the shelters get overcrowded with small animals and they would be more than happy to have someone take them before having them euthanized. Maybe your store can be that safe place for these little critters?"
Yeah, if we could get that set up, it would be great. :)
Yeah, if we could get that set up, it would be great. :)
Local backyard breeders are often worse than the pet mills.
You are feeding the impulse buyers either way.
Yeah, you're sure your mom has done her research on the breeder. That works. Unless you've seen the conditions first hand, you don't know what is going on. And how do you know they are not supplying the pet store across the street or selling feeders?
Once again we don't care how clean the store may look or how nice the employees seem, you're still selling animals.
You are feeding the impulse buyers either way.
Yeah, you're sure your mom has done her research on the breeder. That works. Unless you've seen the conditions first hand, you don't know what is going on. And how do you know they are not supplying the pet store across the street or selling feeders?
Once again we don't care how clean the store may look or how nice the employees seem, you're still selling animals.
"Local backyard breeders are often worse than the pet mills."
That's absolutely true. There are also some that take good care of their animals. That's why you have to do your homework before you deal with them.
"Yeah, you're sure your mom has done her research on the breeder. That works. Unless you've seen the conditions first hand, you don't know what is going on."
Are you suggesting my mother is lying to me, or that she's stupid enough to be fooled? If she didn't care whether our animals were bred in bad conditions, we'd sell puppy mill puppies. Pet shops make TONS of money at that, and our shop struggles because we refuse to do it. Our attitude toward small animals is no different.
"You are feeding the impulse buyers either way."
No, because once we educate them about proper animal care, they often stop being impulse buyers! If we didn't carry animals at all, those same people would just go next door and still be impulse buyers after they leave.
"And how do you know they are not supplying the pet store across the street or selling feeders?"
Because the pet store across the street is Petsmart in my case, and I know they get their animals from huge national breeding mills with really horrible conditions. If it were a small pet store across the street, and they also got their animals from a good local breeder, then I'd say kudos to them for taking the ethical route instead of the cheap breeding mill route.
As for selling feeders, that is a different topic. Snakes *do* have to eat too. Unless you're a vegan, and have no carnivorous pets (ie dogs and cats), you can't really argue that someone else's pet should starve.
"Once again we don't care how clean the store may look or how nice the employees seem, you're still selling animals."
I didn't say we were good because our store "looks clean" or our employees "seem nice." Sometimes we are NOT nice- sometimes we tell people, after quizzing them, that they are not prepared to care for this animal and they should not buy it. What our employees are is educated and educational. And the fact that we sell animals enables us to educate far more people then we would otherwise be able to.
That's absolutely true. There are also some that take good care of their animals. That's why you have to do your homework before you deal with them.
"Yeah, you're sure your mom has done her research on the breeder. That works. Unless you've seen the conditions first hand, you don't know what is going on."
Are you suggesting my mother is lying to me, or that she's stupid enough to be fooled? If she didn't care whether our animals were bred in bad conditions, we'd sell puppy mill puppies. Pet shops make TONS of money at that, and our shop struggles because we refuse to do it. Our attitude toward small animals is no different.
"You are feeding the impulse buyers either way."
No, because once we educate them about proper animal care, they often stop being impulse buyers! If we didn't carry animals at all, those same people would just go next door and still be impulse buyers after they leave.
"And how do you know they are not supplying the pet store across the street or selling feeders?"
Because the pet store across the street is Petsmart in my case, and I know they get their animals from huge national breeding mills with really horrible conditions. If it were a small pet store across the street, and they also got their animals from a good local breeder, then I'd say kudos to them for taking the ethical route instead of the cheap breeding mill route.
As for selling feeders, that is a different topic. Snakes *do* have to eat too. Unless you're a vegan, and have no carnivorous pets (ie dogs and cats), you can't really argue that someone else's pet should starve.
"Once again we don't care how clean the store may look or how nice the employees seem, you're still selling animals."
I didn't say we were good because our store "looks clean" or our employees "seem nice." Sometimes we are NOT nice- sometimes we tell people, after quizzing them, that they are not prepared to care for this animal and they should not buy it. What our employees are is educated and educational. And the fact that we sell animals enables us to educate far more people then we would otherwise be able to.
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Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Believe me, it is EASY to be fooled. There are prize winning, respected ACBA members whose friends would be horrified at their treatment of guinea pigs.
I encourage you to find out if there are any guinea pig rescues in your area and promote adoption in your store, whether or not you sell pigs. You can still sell supplies.
I encourage you to find out if there are any guinea pig rescues in your area and promote adoption in your store, whether or not you sell pigs. You can still sell supplies.
SHOP AMAZON