Our role at this point is simply to spare them additional suffering and an inevitable death."
"At this point we're so inundated, we are just euthanizing because it's a miserable condition for these birds. Which isn't that surprising in that we don't know what is causing this." "They just went downhill and died no matter what we did. At first, he says, staff would try to treat the birds, but nothing worked. Monsma says the count is up to 174 dead and ailing birds at City Wildlife. "But at that point it was just one bird and we didn't think of avian epidemics."Įxperts say that to prevent the spread, if it is a transmissible disease, residents should stop using bird feeders and bird baths, should avoid handling dead or sick birds and should keep pets from eating them. Monsma says staff went back through records to find the earliest possible case, and found a bird exhibiting symptoms that came in on April 11. And it's just every day more and more birds." "We don't don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, as it were, yet. They started becoming alarmed in late May, when dozens of birds had been brought in with the same symptoms: seizures, loss of balance, swelling, crusty eyes, and blindness. Monsma runs the wildlife rescue organization, City Wildlife, which rehabilitates all kinds of creatures, from turtles to eagles.īut in recent weeks, he and his staff have seen something new. Don't fund the pet mills.A dead blue jay, afflicted by the mysterious illness striking D.C.-area birds.īrian Evans/Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centerįor Jim Monsma, it's not unusual to see a dying bird or two during a typical day at work. These can be serious problems that are usually not apparent from a quick inspection in the store. Many pet store guinea pigs are afflicted with mites, upper respiratory infections and more. Generally speaking, guinea pigs adopted from your local shelter or rescue are healthier than pet store guinea pigs. They've been well cared for, properly sexed, are not pregnant and are vet-checked. Unexpected babies - unknowingly "buying" a pregnant female or mis-sexed guinea pigs an accidental pairing.Impulse purchase - of a caged animal, without understanding their proper care requirements and commitment.Kids get bored - it doesn't take long, 6 months on average, even for most of the "my angel wants to be a vet" variety.Guinea pigs purchased at pet stores are frequently mis-sexed and/or pregnant! The most common reasons that guinea pigs end up being rehomed are: That's not the way it works, especially in the small pet world. Don't believe for a moment that shelters, rescues and private folks are just rehoming old, not so cute or sickly guinea pigs. There are amazingly cute, young and healthy guinea pigs for adoption everywhere. Seriously, have you ever met an uncute guinea pig? We haven't. We vote for change with our dollars.īut, we want YOUNG and HEALTHY and CUTE guinea pigs
Please shop at stores that do not carry any live animals. Live pets sold in stores are " loss leaders" - there only to draw you in and create demand for the rest of the more profitable items. Stores typically lose money on the sale of their pet stock.
They simply want you to support their business model: provide you with a pet as cheaply as they can, so that you come back for the profitable supplies and food.
#WHERE TO DROP OFF RESCUE BIRDS IN NYC FOR FREE#
Even when pet-selling stores are offering pets for free (to "adopt"), you should not offer your patronage to stores that are continuously breaching the ethics of animal welfare. Please avoid "free for adoption" animals at a store that also sells pets. Your new pet can best be found from either your local shelter (ASPCA, Humane Society or local animal care and control) or a rescue or a private adoption. Find out more.Īdopting is the responsible way to acquire a pet. Hobby and show breeders contribute to that reality, whether they realize it or not. It's the same, only worse, for small pets. We know that the cute puppy in the store window has come from a bad world. Most of us are aware of the horrors of puppy mills, and understand that buying a puppy from a pet store supports the cycle of abusively sordid care and practices that continues behind the scenes.