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Pet shop displaying rabbit and piggie in the same pen - can I do anything?

R & R by the river

Warren Scout
Apart from a letter to the manager that is - and while I'm at it I'll complain about the miniscule hutches on sale.

Could /would the RSPCA do anything if I reported it.

Could some kind person email a few good links about why buns and piggies mustn't be housed together so I can include it in my letter.

Many thanks,


Rob
 
Apart from a letter to the manager that is - and while I'm at it I'll complain about the miniscule hutches on sale.

Could /would the RSPCA do anything if I reported it.

Could some kind person email a few good links about why buns and piggies mustn't be housed together so I can include it in my letter.

Many thanks,


Rob

The pet shop will require a licence from the council in order to operate so, in addition to the shop, a letter to them would probably be helpful.

http://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/content.asp?id=12812&d1=0

This licence will have a set of conditions attached. The following is a typical example.

http://www.conwy.gov.uk/upload/public/attachments/190/Model%20Stds%20for%20Pet%20Shop%20Licence.pdf

Clause 1.4:

Animals must not be kept in housing in such a way that they can
be interfered with by other animals or the public.


If the rabbits or guinea pigs are interfering with each other, then this would appear to apply.


If the animals are being kept in small cages then several clauses apply. These include (amongst several others):

Clause 1.1:

Animals must at all times be kept in accommodation suitable with
respect to construction, size, temperature, lighting ventilation and
cleanliness.


Clause 4. STOCKING NUMBERS AND DENSITIES:

See table re rabbits.

If they are just selling the hutches, then they can only be "advised" of their unsuitability by customers.

Hope this helps.
 
I called the RSPCA on a pet shop near me a while ago and they didn't register the majority that I felt was important, just the guineas and rabbits together. They gave the owner a shakeup, from what I believe.
 
I called the RSPCA on a pet shop near me a while ago and they didn't register the majority that I felt was important, just the guineas and rabbits together. They gave the owner a shakeup, from what I believe.

That's lucky as I reported my local National Trust property for the same reason and got told off for wasting their time. Apparently they had a bowl of food and a water bottle and appeared not to be sick or injured so that's fine by their welfare standards.

There was no hay, the rabbits and guineas had the same muesli food, the guineas had a little igloo or tube in each pen to hide from the rabbit in and there was absolutely no enrichment. They didn't seem to see that in itself this wasn't any way to be keeping both species and were not bothered at all that people were there just to see the animals and would probably go away thinking it was ok as National Trust properties are known for having good animal welfare standards.

As much as it pains me I'm going to have to go back this summer, take pics and bring it to the attention of the National trust which I'm sure others who live around here have done but if more complain then I hope something will be done.

Just realised that was abit of a rant. Sorry :oops:
 
That's lucky as I reported my local National Trust property for the same reason and got told off for wasting their time. Apparently they had a bowl of food and a water bottle and appeared not to be sick or injured so that's fine by their welfare standards.

There was no hay, the rabbits and guineas had the same muesli food, the guineas had a little igloo or tube in each pen to hide from the rabbit in and there was absolutely no enrichment. They didn't seem to see that in itself this wasn't any way to be keeping both species and were not bothered at all that people were there just to see the animals and would probably go away thinking it was ok as National Trust properties are known for having good animal welfare standards.

As much as it pains me I'm going to have to go back this summer, take pics and bring it to the attention of the National trust which I'm sure others who live around here have done but if more complain then I hope something will be done.

Just realised that was abit of a rant. Sorry :oops:

:wave:On their own website, in respect of 'Food and Farming', the National Trust refers to their claim that:

"The National Trust helps and encourages farmers to manage their farms to high environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards".

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-food_farming.htm

With all this "apparent concern" for high welfare standards, perhaps the National Trust could explain why they had insufficient knowledge of the welfare standards required for the rabbits and guinea pigs on display in their properties?

If they are so keen to highlight the fact that they are "encouraging farmers", why were they not requiring their own staff to to implement high welfare standards?:?

The relevant information is all published and available, so they have little excuse not to do so.:(

They have a "Contact Us" email, so perhaps they could be asked to explain.

Well done for attempting to help the little creatures.:)
 
Thank you for the advice everyone.

I'll try and get a letter written tomorrow and hand it in on Monday.

I don't usually go in that shop (too pricey for the likes of me) but was looking for a housewarming present and while I was in there couldn't pass the pet section without taking a look.

Poor little girl bun, very pretty,very young looking (as in I find it hard to believe she is 8 weeks) in the usual sort of perspex fronted enclosure, sawdust on the floor, no toys or anything, apart from a flowerpot in which the piggie was sleeping. Needless to say I very nearly brought her home with me! Had it been a boy I probably would have.

The only good thing was that she was the only bun on sale.

Hutches on sale all unacceptably small, the smallest little bigger than my locker at work. Some of the horrors even had mesh floors.GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
 
Last edited:
:wave:On their own website, in respect of 'Food and Farming', the National Trust refers to their claim that:

"The National Trust helps and encourages farmers to manage their farms to high environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards".

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-food_farming.htm

With all this "apparent concern" for high welfare standards, perhaps the National Trust could explain why they had insufficient knowledge of the welfare standards required for the rabbits and guinea pigs on display in their properties?

If they are so keen to highlight the fact that they are "encouraging farmers", why were they not requiring their own staff to to implement high welfare standards?:?

The relevant information is all published and available, so they have little excuse not to do so.:(

They have a "Contact Us" email, so perhaps they could be asked to explain.

Well done for attempting to help the little creatures.:)

Thanks for that. I will definitely go back in the next month or so and try to do something. At the time I tackled a member of staff about it (she was just a junior so I didn't blame her) and suggested she visit places locally that had good welfare standards, she said she would but I have no idea if she did.

I will bite the bullet and do something as we can all sit back and whinge but doing something is so much better even if nothing changes.
 
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