Petition regarding cage sizes!

[Silver]

That reads much better now

xxx

[joves911]

Signed it!

[Pebbles82]

Signed it! Being a picky writer/editor type of person, I would also respectfully suggest some slight change to the wording. Hope you don't mind. Here's my suggestion underneath the original wording:

"Animals deserve to have space, however small they are. Many of the small pet homes sold in pet shops are too small for the species they are aimed at. Due to this, many animals are being sold to a life of imprisonment, and a lack of enrichment. Hence, this can lead to behaviours, such as bar chewing in hamsters, which prevent owners from keeping their pets."

Animals in cages need enough space to to live in, however small they are. The majority of cages sold in pet shops are far too small for the species they are aimed at, and this is particularly the case with Hamster cages. As a result, many hamsters are being sold to a life of distress, lack of enrichment and the development of negative behaviours, due to their inadequate surroundings.

"It is about time that there was a law that sets down a minimum cage size for hamsters and other small pets. For example, the PDSA laid down a minimum of 75 x 30cm for a hamster cage, however as there is no law about keeping hamsters in a certain cage, many are left to live in far smaller, leading to behavioural and even health problems."

There is a need for a law which sets down minimum cage sizes for hamsters and other small pets. The PDSA have laid down a minimum cage size of 75cm by 30cm floor area for a hamster cage, and in Germany, the minimum size is 100cm by 50cm. However, because there is no law on minumum cage size, many animals are living in small cages and suffer behavioural problems and stress that can lead to health problems. All the while small cages are produced, pet shops will stock them, because they are easier to sell. There are plenty of adequate cages available but they tend not to be sold in pet shops. A Law on minimum cage size would mean all cage producers would have to make cages of a suitable size, and all pet shops would have to stock cages of a minimum size, thus preventing suffering to small animals.