20/02/2023
A discussion that crops up regularly on social media is the issue of people supporting the pet trade by buying from places such as Pets at Home, given where they source their animals from, and how they are treated throughout the process.
Some owners are not aware of the conditions in the rodent farms that supply the pet trade, or if they are, they don't believe that boycotting pet shops will have any meaningful impact. I disagree, and thus I will always do my best to encourage people to consider the bigger picture, and source their rats from ethical rescues or breeders. Raising awareness, offering education, and providing information is the best way to get habits to change.
I personally do what I can to help in a number of ways:
If I see a thread by someone who has bought rats from a pet shop, I will reply to suggest they use an ethical source in future, and explain why. (Unfortunately this isn't always met with appreciation, sometimes people misread it as an attack on them, which it absolutely is not.)
When someone justifies their purchase as rescuing, I may post the graphic of The Soldier poem to explain how leaving the rats unsold will in the long run do more good than harm. It has often been used by other people in their replies too, and I appreciate their support in it reaching a wider audience.
I am involved with the National Pet Initiative, which aims to share information on improving husbandry, building an understanding of the animals, and promotes ethical sourcing of small companion pets.
For many years, I have been an admin on a facebook group and a long standing forum which encourages discussion and good quality advice on rat care.
I am currently doing my best to compile a log of missexing cases to take to the PAH management, in the hope that they will begin to understand the impact, and take the easy steps needed to prevent further cases.
As a breeder, I provide an alternative option for people seeking pet rats.
And I do my best to encourage and enable new breeders who wish to do so responsibly, meaning there will be more rats available for pet homes who have been ethically bred.
There is no quick fix to the commercial pet trade, but every pet shop who sees a drop in demand and decides to no longer stock rats is a step in the right direction, so I will continue to do what I can, and encourage others to do the same.
