[Van Diemen]

I know i'm going to get shot down in flames for this but i'd like to offer an alternative opinion.

I understand that these rodent mills are horrible and wrong, they aren't ethical and it is cruel. However - I also view it as a fact of life.

I don't think the way forward is to try and boycott pet stores.

That article linked here, talked about how the rats are put to sleep and frozen for reptile food.
This isn't any different to our mass production of chickens, sheep, cows etc etc for human consumption.
Reptiles need to eat and unfortunately they require things like rats and mice for food. It's just the cycle of life.

What I think is needed - is more education. I cannot truthfully say I am against these mills because they do serve a purpose.

The people who run them earn an income
The reptiles they supply get food
The pet shops they supply - supply people with pets

When you break it down like that - you can't really be against it because people need to earn a living, reptiles need to eat, and people love having pets.

I think rather than boycotting and spreading fear and hatred for these set ups, there should be campaigns for better conditions, backed up by organisations such as the RSPCA and the Government.

In the same way that the RSPCA and Government recognise chickens are bred for food but need decent living conditions. There have been countless campaigns and grants offered to breeders of animals such as pigs and chickens in order to create a healthy change.

We see this with puppy farms too - big organisations with the power to effect change have jumped on the education band wagon.

The fact that I can sit here and type all this information about puppy farms, chickens, pigs etc - yet know little about rodents farms - speaks a much louder truth about the organisations we entrust to speak up for our animals than it does for the simple everyday people who are running these establishments.