The stores agreed to stop selling guinea pigs. Thank you for ending this cycle of suffering.
April 6, 2024
Final supporters
We are asking US pet store chains Petco, Pet Supplies Plus, PetSmart and others to stop stocking guinea pigs and host adoption days instead.
US pet stores that sell guinea pigs have created nothing more than homeless guinea pig populations, crippling medical expenses and heartbreak for responsible guinea pig owners.
Commercial pet stores are notorious for selling poorly bred guinea pigs with health issues, and they are often misgendered. While on display for sales, guinea pigs are kept in crowded, unventilated housing and fed a poor diet. Stores make bad matters worse by selling inadequate "starter kits" and questionable supplies to customers.
US animal rescue organizations are frequently over capacity dealing with the uncontrolled breeding and serious diseases caused by these stores' profit-first policies. Signing this petition will send a clear message to guinea pig mills and commercial pet stores to stop this horrific practice now!
Our thanks to award winning writer Michael Pollick and artist Charles Carpenter for their assistance with this petition
Image @2024 Copyright Lenhart Studios LLC.
Updates
January 12, 2024
The momentum is undeniable right now. This response proves the industry can no longer ignore the reality of these conditions.
Reached 100 supporters
January 12, 2024
37 Comments
The animal shelters near me all post frequently about their need of supplies and adopters for guinea pigs. There is ZERO justification for Guinea Pigs to be sold by for-profit shops and especially chain stores. They are living things with thoughts, feelings and personalities. They are not "disposable" or "starter pets". They deserve love and proper care.
We have a small in home rescue, that people daily ask to surrender their guineas to. I have seen so many cases of these facilities not sexing their guineas correctly and people end up with litters of guineas they are not prepared for nor want. Then all those babies end up in a rescue.
I wish I could add photos because I have several of the horrible conditions that guinea pigs are kept in at Petco. It’s atrocious. They live in their own feces and have very little hay. I even went as far as to make a report to the MA Dept of Agriculture because it’s animal abuse and they launched an investigation, which ultimately did nothing.
As a volunteer of the Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue, a majority of animals surrendered come from pet stores sold to people without proper education and the animals are presented in a way that is not aligned with actual care. People become disillusioned and surrender the animals or in many cases simply dump them outside. Guinea pigs are not disposable and they are capable of the same fear and suffering as dogs and cats and should be protected in the same manner from being a commodity in Big box pet stores.
From Heart of Ohio Guinea Pig Rescue and Sanctuary. 80% of the pregnant guinea pigs we get in are due to pet stores not sexing them incorrectly or selling them already pregnant as they can breed as young as 3 weeks of age. 90% of surrenders are due to a lack of education on care, time, allergies and more. We assist with over 1000 guinea pig adoptions a year. We turn away about 3000 a year due to lack of resources. Every year for 8 years the number grows. Please pet stores. We BEG of you to stop carrying guinea pigs other than ones from rescues. Private breeders are rarely the problem. They only account for 20% of the pregnancy issues we see. The health in these guinea pigs is also generally poor with inbreeding, ring worm, URI, eye infections and weaning too young, and other issues.
The sale of guinea pigs should be banned especially knowing that these guinea pigs go through countless stages of abuse from the Sun Pet mills which supply Petco and Petsmart to when they are in the store.
Guinea pig
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The stores agreed to stop selling guinea pigs. Thank you for ending this cycle of suffering.
April 6, 2024
Final supporters
We are asking US pet store chains Petco, Pet Supplies Plus, PetSmart and others to stop stocking guinea pigs and host adoption days instead.
US pet stores that sell guinea pigs have created nothing more than homeless guinea pig populations, crippling medical expenses and heartbreak for responsible guinea pig owners.
Commercial pet stores are notorious for selling poorly bred guinea pigs with health issues, and they are often misgendered. While on display for sales, guinea pigs are kept in crowded, unventilated housing and fed a poor diet. Stores make bad matters worse by selling inadequate "starter kits" and questionable supplies to customers.
US animal rescue organizations are frequently over capacity dealing with the uncontrolled breeding and serious diseases caused by these stores' profit-first policies. Signing this petition will send a clear message to guinea pig mills and commercial pet stores to stop this horrific practice now!
Our thanks to award winning writer Michael Pollick and artist Charles Carpenter for their assistance with this petition
Image @2024 Copyright Lenhart Studios LLC.
Updates
January 12, 2024
The momentum is undeniable right now. This response proves the industry can no longer ignore the reality of these conditions.
Reached 100 supporters
January 12, 2024
37 Comments
I have a Guinea pig rescue in iowa I have over 130 piggies at all times and I agree with this pet stores should not sell any small animals I have even bought sick Guinea Pigs from pet stores and was told at the register I have 14 days to bring them back if they gets sick or die! I’ve brought them back to the rescue got them healthy and adopted them out there is a real problem with big pet stores but I’ve had problems in the past also with small pet stores, they also give wrong information they are not educated enough to be adopting guinea pigs out
The animal shelters near me all post frequently about their need of supplies and adopters for guinea pigs. There is ZERO justification for Guinea Pigs to be sold by for-profit shops and especially chain stores. They are living things with thoughts, feelings and personalities. They are not "disposable" or "starter pets". They deserve love and proper care.
We have a small in home rescue, that people daily ask to surrender their guineas to. I have seen so many cases of these facilities not sexing their guineas correctly and people end up with litters of guineas they are not prepared for nor want. Then all those babies end up in a rescue.
I wish I could add photos because I have several of the horrible conditions that guinea pigs are kept in at Petco. It’s atrocious. They live in their own feces and have very little hay. I even went as far as to make a report to the MA Dept of Agriculture because it’s animal abuse and they launched an investigation, which ultimately did nothing.
As a volunteer of the Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue, a majority of animals surrendered come from pet stores sold to people without proper education and the animals are presented in a way that is not aligned with actual care. People become disillusioned and surrender the animals or in many cases simply dump them outside. Guinea pigs are not disposable and they are capable of the same fear and suffering as dogs and cats and should be protected in the same manner from being a commodity in Big box pet stores.
From Heart of Ohio Guinea Pig Rescue and Sanctuary. 80% of the pregnant guinea pigs we get in are due to pet stores not sexing them incorrectly or selling them already pregnant as they can breed as young as 3 weeks of age. 90% of surrenders are due to a lack of education on care, time, allergies and more. We assist with over 1000 guinea pig adoptions a year. We turn away about 3000 a year due to lack of resources. Every year for 8 years the number grows. Please pet stores. We BEG of you to stop carrying guinea pigs other than ones from rescues. Private breeders are rarely the problem. They only account for 20% of the pregnancy issues we see. The health in these guinea pigs is also generally poor with inbreeding, ring worm, URI, eye infections and weaning too young, and other issues.
The sale of guinea pigs should be banned especially knowing that these guinea pigs go through countless stages of abuse from the Sun Pet mills which supply Petco and Petsmart to when they are in the store.
Guinea pig
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I have a Guinea pig rescue in iowa I have over 130 piggies at all times and I agree with this pet stores should not sell any small animals I have even bought sick Guinea Pigs from pet stores and was told at the register I have 14 days to bring them back if they gets sick or die! I’ve brought them back to the rescue got them healthy and adopted them out there is a real problem with big pet stores but I’ve had problems in the past also with small pet stores, they also give wrong information they are not educated enough to be adopting guinea pigs out