Watchdog tonight

[jenbonjovi]

Did anyone in the UK see tonights Watchdog about Pets at Home selling pigs?

(Apologies if this is in the wrong place, I wasn't sure where to post)

[ayemee]

I haven't seen it yet no, but I plan to watch it later. What was it saying?

[Bean]

I didn't see it but just caught up on iPlayer - pretty damning stuff, but none of it surprises me. It included bits on them selling small animals who were malnourished or with ringworm (despite people buying them asking about funny crusty patches, they were assured it was 'nothing to worry about'), rubbish conditions for animals in store (and the number of dead and decomposing fish floating around in tanks was quite astonishing), and not giving out the care advice they're supposed to when selling animals. Personally I've only ever come across one pet shop selling animals that I've been impressed by, but she was basically running a rescue too, so wasn't your average pet shop owner/ worker.

I hope the attention makes pets at Home up their game, but I've been hearing bits and bobs about them in the press for years and these stories keep on coming.

[ayemee]

I've just watched it on iPlayer too. The part of the report about the fish made me so angry. How could you not know that there are dead fish in the tank?

The poor piggies and rabbits that get sold in awful condition is also disgusting. One of my mums friends got two piggies from P@H and one of them died within one week. Its so sad.

[jolovespiggies]

It is sickening. I didn;t see it and I don't have an iplayer, but what I have been told is more than enough. Shall we all get together and try and stop this dreadful malpractise?

Hugs

Jo xx

[ayemee]

It really was sickening Jo. Many people get jaw problems with their piggies from there too, because of bad breeding.

[yodelpig]

I've seen it and have not been surprised at all from what I regularly come across on British piggy forums!!! Sadly, no mention has been made as to how many sows being sold are pregnant...

[newpig]

I don't normally watch Watchdog - or any of those consumer programmes as they make the law and the consumer's rights seem so much simpler than they really are (and so often fail to take into account the power of the press to get outcomes that may not necessarily be what the law provides for). I did however catch the end of this programme and saw the piggy and the rabbit healthy at the end. Hopefully more people will think twice about these stores and conditions of the animals, after watching it.

[jenbonjovi]

It was pretty awful. Got my first pig Sarah (a boy!) from SSPCA and got him a pal from Pets at Home named Leroy. Did the usual and kept them seperate and within 2 weeks Leroy had died. Just woke up one day and the poor wee guy was gone! Told Pets at Home and they said it was my fault and I must have fed him too much cucumber. I'd fed him none.
Next pig I got from there (Neville) lost all the fur on his face. Took him to the vet who said it wasn't ringworm and he was in no pain, and it grew back within a week, didn't happen again. Sadly my ex husband got the pigs in the divorce so I got Lydia from SSPCA but couldn't find another female rescue pig anywhere so got Blanche from PaH. She's been great but obviously that's been luck more than anything!
I usually get their food from PaH as it's nearby but I'm thinking now I'm going to go elsewhere. I just want to save all the wee piggies that might be unwell in there! X

[jenbonjovi]

Newpig, I don't watch it either but it came on when I was in the bath. As soon as I heard 'guinea pig' I was out in a shot! X

[3piggles]

If only people sent complaints to P@H, there would be a trail to follow. Sadly, most people just go to the store and get them money back, or get given another pig. We won't get that footage aired in the US, but I have no doubt it is pretty bad. It is sad enough that anyone would treat animals that way, but that it took so long for it to be exposed and for action to be taken, is even sadder!