Ethical breeding of small animals

muddypaws

I watched Undercover Boss on Channel 4 last night, it was about a pet shop chain in the UK. They claim that the small animals they sell are all ethically bred, and the boss went to visit one of the breeders. My views on ethical and his obviously are poles apart. It was a lovely family home, nice big garden, kids playing, but the woman has a full time job, and has a big shed at the bottom of the garden with the rabbits and guinea pigs in, she has about an hour a day to spend with them, which is spent cleaning them out. The Does have 3 litters a year, they seem to all live in seperate hutches, and only mix when they are put in with a buck to breed.

Is it just me, or is that not really ethical breeding?

mymo

I had a friend in the uk who bred and showed her rabbits.
They lived in a shed, individual hutches inside, so some could be let out together but not others, with an attached run. They also were allowed around her garden and came in the kitchen to say hi whenever they heard visitors.
She didn't work, but spent a lot of time looking after, grooming, petting and entertaining those bunnies. She researched genetics and bred only from older healthy bucks. Usually had one or two bucks, and 6 or so does, no more, and bred to show or swap with others, and any not up to scratch in her eyes became pets to people she quizzed thoroughly.

That to me was ethical breeding.

orchidsrpretty

I thought it was a bit at odds with ethical breeding too. The bunnies did look well cared for but had no runs and were stacked on top of each other. That must be quite stressful for them.

Is 6 litters a year normal for rabbits? Seems like a lot. As shown in the programme breeding for profit is difficult so maybe that's as 'ethical' as it gets.

I would hate to see the normal set ups for mass breeding if that's the case.

muddypaws

I was impressed with the store, and the boss, but I don't really get why we think smallies should be treated different to dogs, if that kind of set up was for a dog breeder, no way would it be described as ethical. So do small companion animals not deserve the same standards and compassion as the bigger ones? I am actually considering buying a pet shop at the moment, one that is already up and running, but it sells small animals. I told the owner that if I did buy, I wouldn't be selling them, she was very shocked, said that they are a great money earner, but I don't agree with selling live animals in that way. Most of my friends wouldn't actually shop in a store that sells live animals, so maybe its not quite as profitable as some people think?

boomerang

Thanks for highlighting the programme MP, I just had a watch.

High standard of animal welfare, the programme claims? You must be joking. Keeping a rabbit in a hutch 24/7 is cruel, plain and simple. Actually they're not even hutches. They're cages.

No freedom to express behaviours such as digging. No environmental enrichment, such as rabbit-safe toys. No social contact with other rabbits. Ten minutes contact a day while being cleaned out means poorly socialised rabbits unused to handling.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/ahutchisnotenough.htm

I think this lady is conscientious compared to other breeding set ups I've seen for the pet shop trade, but if this is ethical small animal breeding, I despair.

Pretzill

muddypaws wrote: »

I was impressed with the store, and the boss, but I don't really get why we think smallies should be treated different to dogs, if that kind of set up was for a dog breeder, no way would it be described as ethical. So do small companion animals not deserve the same standards and compassion as the bigger ones? I am actually considering buying a pet shop at the moment, one that is already up and running, but it sells small animals. I told the owner that if I did buy, I wouldn't be selling them, she was very shocked, said that they are a great money earner, but I don't agree with selling live animals in that way. Most of my friends wouldn't actually shop in a store that sells live animals, so maybe its not quite as profitable as some people think?

I'd be one who wouldn't shop in a pet shop selling small animals either. It just doesn't feel right to me. Sone years ago I ventured into a pet shop that was tacked on to a garden centre thought I'd get some treats for the dogs - was not expecting to see the array of caged animals at the back of the shop - what really distressed me was they were selling birds and I noticed a not so huge cage with about 6 finches in it and 2 dead on the bottom of the cage.

I was quite incensed that the staff didn't seem bothered when I brought it to their attention - Needless to say an

argument ensued and I never shopped there again. It's unnecessary to parade animals and birds for sale in this way IMO - As for someone spending an hour a day on the welfare of a large group or rabbits - that isn't right either.

Pet shops to me are the place to go to get good advice, recommendations, and all the kit you need before and after you bring your pet home -

Yours would probably be a good shop muddypaws.