HELP, don't know what to do.

As some of you know my boy Jack passed away this week. Lola really isn't handling it very well so me and the OH have decided to get her another friend to bond with, hopefully it'll cheer her up a bit.

Anyway, although I wouldn't buy a bun from a pet store we had some time to kill this morning in town and Matty decided to take me into one of the pet shops to have a look. Now, I was quite shocked when I walked in as right by the door this is an indoor cage (a TINY indoor cage I might add) with a bunny in. And if that wasn't bad enough, while having a look inside said cage, what else do I find!? A Guinee Pig!

I didn't mention anything to the sales assistant as I know for a fact that she's not the manager, plus the fact that Matty doesn't like confrontation (not that I would've gotten confrontational at ALL ). But I'm kind of stuck now, I feel really guilty that I didn't say anything there and then (even though I know I would've been ignored) but I don't know who I can contact to inform them of this. Write a letter to the store manager listing my concerns? Contact the RSPCA?

Anyone with experience of this please help and tell me what I should do.

Thanks
Frankie

If it was me I would phone the shop, ask to speak to the manager and mention you were in earlier and are concerned they are together but didn't know who to speak to about it

I don't know enough about the RSPCA to advise on if they could do anything. When I was in the UK I saw the size of the adoption pens for rabbits in a PAH store so I would imagine if thats allowed to go on they can't do much about small cages in pet shops? Or about keeping buns and piggies together, I know its not advised but don't know if its actually illegal or classed as neglect or abuse Dunno, someone else might be able to advise on that though

Sorry you lost Jack Good luck finding a new friend for Lola hun. Are you new to bonding? I think some rescues will bond for you if you ask I am scared of bonding

I think I'll have to do that, ring up and speak to the manager. I have met her in the past though and I'm just concerned as she doesn't seem like the type to really care, so long as she's making money

I am quite new to bonding. Me and blue_vix bonded Lola and Jack but it was a really easy bond to do as he was naturally very submissive anyway; didn't have any want to be in control of her so within about half an hour of introducing them they'd curled up and started grooming each other. They really were a match made in heaven and he's gonna be a hard one to 'replace' (couldn't think of a better word, although I'm sure you understand I'm not actually replacing him). I think I might get a rescue to bond her this time though, I don't think i'm anywhere near the right frame of mind to do that right now.

Please see this thread if the conditions are not sufficient.

Pet shops must follow the pet shop license terms;

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=94160

I contacted the local council via email and they replied within about half an hour to let me know that Enviromental Health were now involved and investigating. So hopefully something will be done about it soon.

I'm really hoping it's just a lack of knowledge rather than knowing and just not being bothered. But then again, if you don't know the animals what are you doing working with them?

everytime i walk into a pets at home i want to buy every single rabbit there and then, i hate to walk out the shop and leave them there :/

brilliant for contacting the council well done we dont have a local pet shop so its not something i have ever come across - you could always get him though, take him to a vet a get him checked, you would be rescuing him

(we are going to get duke a new friend but we wont do the boding, our local rescue center will, never done it before and its still too raw from losing daisy so i dont think its the right thing for us to do it ourselves at the moment)

Have a chat to the person in charge of petshop licencing in darlo council- thats what I did in boro and it turned out they didn't make it part of the licence agreement to keep rabbits and guinea's seperate- but they have changed that now after I told her all the potential probs (she went away and researched it then got back to me) the size requirements for petshops however, are nationally set and they are tiny

brilliant for contacting the council well done we dont have a local pet shop so its not something i have ever come across - you could always get him though, take him to a vet a get him checked, you would be rescuing him

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I LOVE this idea!

Have a chat to the person in charge of petshop licencing in darlo council- thats what I did in boro and it turned out they didn't make it part of the licence agreement to keep rabbits and guinea's seperate- but they have changed that now after I told her all the potential probs (she went away and researched it then got back to me) the size requirements for petshops however, are nationally set and they are tiny

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The size of the cage really upset me tbh (I'm a wimp lately) but I know that nothing will be done about it *sigh*. What worried me even more was keeping the two in the same cage. Then, I noticed a chinchilla in a cage the size of...Can't think of anything to compare it to but it was small! As I say, the council is investigating now and I put in the email about the dangers of keeping the two of them together so hopefully something'll be done soon.