Why go in ?

[steph182]

I have no choice but to go in, all the petshops in the area sell animals and I don't have a bank card that allows me to buy online, and my mam won't let me use hers.

But, I wouldn't get a rabbit from a petshop again. Charlie is from a petshop, and was mis-sexed, plus several of his (probabal) siblings have dropped dead suddenly.

 

[Elena]

There are two 'pet shops' I go in. One is a garden centre and I go to the farm shop part for huge bunches of parsley. I admit, I do go look at the bunnies mainly to make sure they have hay but as I'm at my limit I just know I can't have anymore. The other is P@H but I rarely go there, only when I need something they stock relatively urgently, like nail clippers recently.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

But since finding RU, if you wanted to get another bunny, would you contribute to pet shops and breeders, or would you choose to rescue? You dont need to answer - but that's the thing here. Now we are all educated and aware in these matters, i do feel it is irresponsible to shop from these places if it can be avoided??

I agree

I have bought from Pet Shops and Breeders in the past. Of course I dont regret having those Buns and I love them all VERY much.

But now I have been informed about what happens with regards to the mass production of Rabbits for the retail trade I really could not justify buying from a shop again. Yes, it may 'help' that one Rabbit, but what about the one the shop will buy in to fill the space. Or the next one....or the next.

By buying from a Petshop we are perpetuating the mass breeding of Rabbits, some in the most dire conditions (again I refer to the recent PACT horror story). I honestly believe that if we, the Customers, stop buying then they, the Retailers, will respond by not supplying. If I were to go into a livestock selling Petshop today and see a Rabbit in need or one I 'fell in love with' I may not be able to walk out without him/her. So I dont go in in the first place.

Some things in business are way beyond my ken, but the 'no demand, no need to supply' issue I can grasp.

 

[Elena]

There are two 'pet shops' I go in. One is a garden centre and I go to the farm shop part for huge bunches of parsley. I admit, I do go look at the bunnies mainly to make sure they have hay but as I'm at my limit I just know I can't have anymore. The other is P@H but I rarely go there, only when I need something they stock relatively urgently, like nail clippers recently.

Oh and I ought to say the farm shop part is a separate company to the rest of the garden centre so although they probably pay rent to the garden centre I don't feel so much that I'm lining their pockets.

 

[Jaysmonkey]

I have other animals other than rabbits; so cannot buy everything online; sometimes it's easier because the said pet store is next to Sainsbury's, so when I get shopping I go in to get supplies for all the animals.

I do not support Pet shops; however I would be a hypocrite to discard them altogether; afterall Lola and Brian were from P@H; and Max and Jemimah were from p@H adoption. I wouldn't change or take back getting them, they mean the world to me, even the late Brian I miss him so very much. All my buns previous when growing up were small chain petshop purchases; I was unaware of Rescues for Rabbits until I found RU. All buns I get from now on will be Rescues; I include adoption at P@H in that since the money goes to charity, my pets at home is also very good and asks questions about the animal; anyone without sufficient knowledge is not allowed to buy. They stress neutering, vaccinations, the importance of hay, accommodation size and the social behaviour of a bun. They won't let a bunny go to just anyone.

I don't regret getting my bunnies; I love them with all my heart, I don't feel guilty for getting them; I've given and am giving them a wonderful life; they deserve a chance too; afterall they are living, feeling, breathing animals; that don't deserve to be stuck in a pet shop in artificial light; I just took little darling from that environment. xx

I can't double quote but there's the answer, I would get from a Rescue, but I won't feel bad about the buns I currently have, though 2 are rescue; 2 are p@H adoption.

 

[Crunchie]

I agree with Jane, Rhian33 and Grin on the thread so far. I feel like dunting my head on the keyboard when I see another "I seen the sweetest bunny in *insert pet shop here* should I go back for him/her?" type thread. Feel the same way when I see similar threads made about rabbits that are obviously being sold by back yard breeders. Whoever said that if we, the informed, can't make the "right" choices then there's not much hope of anyone else doing so.

I tend to shop online for my animal stuff but I also have the luxury of an excellent garden centre that does pet stuff but also has the morals to advise customers of the number of bunnies and piggies in rescue centres. I also have a good farm shop not far from me where I get my hay from. All the stuff I need for my exotics I get either online or from a pet shop across in Fife. Obviously some folk don't have this and for them I can understand they must need an iron will if they see an animal in a shop they "click" with.

I guess at the end of the day folk will do as they please. I do think that it'd help if everyone who buys from pet shops and backyard breeders (not folk on the forum I mean anyone) knew just what they're encouraging (breeding farms etc).

 

[XMissySJx]

If I were to go into a livestock selling Petshop today and see a Rabbit in need or one I 'fell in love with' I may not be able to walk out without him/her. So I dont go in in the first place.

I do agree with what you say in the whole supply and demand 100%

And what you are saying is correct and fine, for you as a person and many others. As a person, I am very confident I would not walk into a pet shop and come out with another rabbit. So i dont feel like I cannot go in there to buy the rabbits i do have, a nice toy to play with.

I dont have the money these days to go online and do a "stock up" of toys to warrant the postage, if i have a spare £5 in my bag , ill go and get them a couple of toys, and i dont feel guilty about that because I want to enrich the lives of the rabbits I have right now.

There is not a single pet shop in my area that doesnt sell animals, so its not a choice.

 

[lildebs]

I have always avoided the petshop were Dolly come from because I'm not fond of it, that's where and the first time I saw Dolly but I didn't come out with her, I can be strong willed, it was only 2mth later I had to collect some things for my sisters lizard I saw she was still there, being bullied, I did come away without her again but she tugged on my heart strings too much I had to go back for her 2 days later...but I haven't been back in it since and have no plans to and regardless I can't realistically take on another bun.

 

[littleboots]

Suppose Im lucky.. We have a super farm shop where I can get all my horse feeds / bunny feed/ etc etc .. you name it.. they sell it... and not a single animal for sale!!
Dog food and cat food is bought in supermarket!

 

[SarahP]

And what you are saying is correct and fine, for you as a person and many others. As a person, I am very confident I would not walk into a pet shop and come out with another rabbit. So i dont feel like I cannot go in there to buy the rabbits i do have, a nice toy to play with.

I totally agree with you. We regularly go into pet shops to get supplies, although the vast majority of our stuff comes from online. Yes, we ooh and ahh over the animals and feel sad about leaving them, but we don't come out with a rabbit, hamster or guinea pig in a box.

There is only one pet shop I won't go into anymore, as it's too distressing, plus I don't want to give them my business.

 

[Heather&Bart-MyLittleBuns]

Agree with you Jane :wave:

We get our hay from the local farm shop and food/toys/treats online I do occasionaly go into pet shops I like to look at toys and then try and find them online but there is no chance of me ever coming home with a bunny purely because my dad would NEVER allow it :roll::lol:

 

[Tuckerbunnies]

We use P&H as it's about the nearest one to us but we usually only get their make in puppy pens as it would cost us a lot more to order them online.
Other stuff like rabbit food and litter and toys we buy from the wholesalers.

 

[Grin]

I can't double quote but there's the answer, I would get from a Rescue, but I won't feel bad about the buns I currently have, though 2 are rescue; 2 are p@H adoption.

I really wasn't getting at you, honest. I was just trying to point out how much the knowledge from RU changes us once you understand consequences and that it's ok to still love and not regret getting your buns from p@h because we didn't know better then. xx

 

[sdf76]

Most of the threads I have seen whereby someone has "seen a rabbit in a pet shop" is not because they have gone in looking for a rabbit, and are mostly those who do not usually frequent the shop but its so hard once you haveseen a bun in dire circumstances to walk away from it.
In theory, of course, we should... but we comeback to the starfish....

they may be helping that particular bunny.

I think perhaps what the "what shall I do?" is all about is asking others to assess how desperate they think that particular bun's situation is, so the OP can decide what action to take.?

I think perhaps we should think to visit the shops selling animals as infrequently as possible if we do go at all.

legislation is the way IMO but its not a quick process.
sue:wave:

 

[Mischief and Tinker's Mum]

I understand what you mean and I would never buy from a chain of petshops but I'm embarrased to admit that my Jasper is from a pet shop. It was a local one though that doesn't usually sells rabbits (i'm not saying buying from local pet shops is good, I'm just saying why I bought Jasper ) so by getting him, I knew he wouldn't be replaced with another rabbit and he wasn't. His cage was way too small for him but perfect for guinea pigs, I just got so attached to Jasper I couldn't leave him there all alone.

I was lucky enough to find out who his breeder was! :shock: Thank goodness he wasn't awful or I would feel so so guilty even though I never regret buying Jasper. His breeder (doesn't breed any more though) saw a photo of Jasper on my aunty's facebook as he is friends with her and he knew instantly it was him! Shows he cared in some way but he shouldn't have given Jasper to a shop. :?

 

[Tuckerbunnies]

We over the years have bought 3 baby rabbits from pet shops, Angel and Gypsy many years ago who were about 4 weeks old and had serious eye problems and we got that pet shop closed down, and last year we got Cloud after answering a thread on this forum about a bunny in a pet shop near us with a bad wound on her back. We don't feel guilty for going into these pet shops and getting these rabbits out, we have closed one down and I can't say much about the other at the moment.
If we go in P&H we always make sure we look at the rabbits and if there is something we are not happy about or like we tell a member of staff.

 

[chloemurray]

P@H actually makes no profit from selling animals, so to be honest I'm not sure why they even sell them in the first place:lol:

My godfather runs a pet shop that doesn't sell livestock, and I used to get all my supplies from there. Now though, my dad and godfather don't speak any more, and I'm not allowed to go there

Leaves me no choice but p@h really, there are no other pet shops near me. I'm only 16 and so I don't earn that much, I don't have enough in my bank to bulk buy online. Their litter box hay and food comes from p@h. Everything else comes from the hay experts

None of mine are from a pet shop, but having said that, no one should be made to feel bad for buying a pet shop bun. It's not everyone's ideal, but once it's done it's done.:wave:

 

[Crunchie]

P@H actually makes no profit from selling animals, so to be honest I'm not sure why they even sell them in the first place:lol:
:

To tempt folk in to look at the other stuff. The number of times myself and my mum have been over in the retail park where our P&H home is and one of us has suggested going in to see the bunnies is how it happens. Then when folk go in they might see a wee packet of treats or a nice toy and buy that. I'm trying desperately to get my parents not to buy anything from there but when it's on their way home from work or from the other shops they sometimes do.

 

[Grin]

Most of the threads I have seen whereby someone has "seen a rabbit in a pet shop" is not because they have gone in looking for a rabbit, and are mostly those who do not usually frequent the shop but its so hard once you haveseen a bun in dire circumstances to walk away from it.
In theory, of course, we should... but we comeback to the starfish....

they may be helping that particular bunny.

I think perhaps what the "what shall I do?" is all about is asking others to assess how desperate they think that particular bun's situation is, so the OP can decide what action to take.?

I think perhaps we should think to visit the shops selling animals as infrequently as possible if we do go at all.

legislation is the way IMO but its not a quick process.
sue:wave:

IMO, it is NOT like the starfish story because buying from a pet shop contributes to the breeding issue - therefore creating more problems rather than rescuing one bunny a time.

 

[Grin]

P@H actually makes no profit from selling animals, so to be honest I'm not sure why they even sell them in the first place:lol:

My godfather runs a pet shop that doesn't sell livestock, and I used to get all my supplies from there. Now though, my dad and godfather don't speak any more, and I'm not allowed to go there

Leaves me no choice but p@h really, there are no other pet shops near me. I'm only 16 and so I don't earn that much, I don't have enough in my bank to bulk buy online. Their litter box hay and food comes from p@h. Everything else comes from the hay experts

None of mine are from a pet shop, but having said that, no one should be made to feel bad for buying a pet shop bun. It's not everyone's ideal, but once it's done it's done.:wave:

Sorry, but i think they do - if not from the animal then certainly from the hutches, runs, feed and other accessories that are bought along side it.

And as Crunchie mentioned, to bring in the browsers to buy the other stuff.