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Originally Posted by Spud's Mum
The likelihood I can see if this petition succeeded is the mass breeder finding further outlets for his stock (by whatever means - internet selling & shipping etc. or running equivalent 'puppy farms') but also the encouragement to some people to decide to become local breeders without thinking any further than 'i have a girl and boy hamster, will be able to sell the babies and make some money'. I'm sorry but you see it all the time on another forum I visit, where young children/adults from various countries think it is a great thing to do.
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This bit doesn't sound to appealing, I have to admit - I know the forums you are referring to and the thought of these kids (that's what most of them are) having an outlet for their babies that encourages them to breed more isn't great.
However I think like babyboos - with the current state of the law why should any petshop (apart from yours, obviously) bother to seek out well-bred and raised hamsters from serious hobbyist who have the hamsters interests at heart - when they can get them for under a pound an animal from the mass-producer? There can't be many and all credit to yours for going against the grain and thinking of more than their profits.
I personally don't think a hamsters life is any different to that of a puppy or kitten - and it's no longer acceptable for petshops to sell them so why should it be different for hamsters? True, petshops not selling puppies hasn't eradicated puppy farms - that is something else people who feel strongly about it to work on (as I know campaigners are doing).
It horrifies me that my 3 little petshop hamsters started their lives in conditions like those pictures (or worse - there are many mass breeders who don't allow visitors or pictures - some of the undercover stuff I've seen is so horrifying it defies belief). Sadly, I had no idea what I was supporting by buying from a petshop and I expect most other people who call themselves animal lovers don't either.
This campaign and petition will highlight the horrors that lie behind mass producing hamsters and, on balance, I see that as a good thing.
Another thing I do is try to buy my "supplies" from places that don't sell live animals - all my food/tissue bedding comes from Wilkinson's and most of my toys/cages etc come from internet stores/ebay. I have to admit that I sometimes buy what I can't get elsewhere from a local shop that does sell animals (and if I ever get a Hamster Heaven I'll have to get it from P@H I suppose) but I avoid them when I can now - I've learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes in the past year, sadly.
This has raised some interesting issues and I'm sure we all think differently about it - I've seen how nasty some of the threads about petshops on different forums have become as people do tend to have strong feelings - I'm sure it won't be like that here 'cos I think we all appreciate that there are two sides (or more!) to every issue.
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