Rat Mills

[puffnstuff]

What bothers me though, is that it is the same pictures that are used in every similar thread about these rat mills. So it's really about THAT rat mill. Have people visited other rat mills? Others who supply pet stores with rats? They can't all be bad, can they?

And most important. HOW do we stop this? Did the pet mill get into trouble for doing this? What can we, as caring human beings, do to stop this?

Perhaps inform the masses? Go through the medias and make them cover these stories so that the world gets to see these horrible things? I don't know, but someone has to! Is it okey to sit there by your computer and be angry for seeing a picture of a dead rat and then post it in a thread on a ratforum on the gigantic internett where very few will even see your reaction? I don't think that will help these animals really. There would be far less homeless rescues if these mills were illegal!

Lots of questionmarks there... And perhaps idealistic ideas, but if someone can answer I would really apreciate it!

They (the rat mills) can't all be bad? HUH? There is no such thing as a good rat mill. Or a good puppy mill.

It is the pet stores that are keeping the animal breeding mills in business. And the pet stores are all about PROFIT. They will willingly sell you a single rat (which we all know is detrimental to the rat's health and well being), or willingly sell you 20 rats. They don't care, as long as they're moving their stock. They will also sell you bags and bags of pine shavings, the wrong food, the wrong type of cage, etc. etc. They probably know full well that the animal is going to get sick or die. They hope that you'll just come back and buy some more little critters, and more supplies. It's not in the stores' best interest to educate the customer and give them the proper items so that your pet will live a loooonnng life. They don't want a one-time customer; they want the customers to return again and again, and keep buying more animals and more supplies. The more they sell, the better they do on the books. That's what it's all about. They move animals, and they move supplies.

How do you stop it? STOP BUYING from the large chain pet stores such as PetSmart, PJ's pets, etc. DO NOT buy anything, even supplies or food, from a store that sells live animals. Period.

 

[Amine12]

I have bought a few things from my local pet store in the past (never an animal).
But they don't sell any animals there anymore, do I support these rat mills if I do shop there?
And if so, where else am I supposed to buy things for my rats?
I guess I can buy a few things for them at IKEA but it's just that it takes almost
an hour and a half to drive there.....

EDIT: I onced bought two guinea pigs there, but thats the only animals I have ever bought from that store!

 

[lilspaz68]

If they don't sell animals there anymore, they are a pet supply place and are fine to buy your supplies at

 

[Amine12]

Good! :dance:
I do have one problem with the store though.
because, for some reason, even though they don't sell animals there anymore
they still keep a few hamsters there!!
the people that work there are very good at keeping their cages clean
and all that but noone EVER takes them out of their
cages!! :redhot:
And no customers are allowed to either, because the hamster
bite.... :emb:

 

[Ratz_are_people_2]

 

[SQ]

Buying pet rats from a pet store means supporting this
and this is one of the better mills which is why a visitor and pictures were allowed
the abuse is horrific and when you buy rats you create demand for more to be bred, and more to suffer and die

Pet store managers I have spoken to state that if people did not support what they are doing,
then people would not shop there
Therefore, buying anything from a store that sells animals supports all of their practices

As Jorats said:

you could get your next ratties from a rescue, shelter or classifieds. They may very well be a rattie that came from such a rat mill, bought at a pet store to finally be abandoned.

When you rescue rats from shelters, rat rescues and rats being rehomed, you may be giving (former) pet store rats a good home without creating a demand for more to be born.