Rescues, Shops Or Breeders- Where Do I Get My Pet From? Explained

Right let’s jump straight into it- so you want to get a pet but you don’t know where to get them from, you’ve had mixed advise from friends and you really just want the truth with pro’s and con’s for all options- you’re in the right place!

It will be no surprise to you at all that I am a firm supporter of adopt over shop however I do myself have pets from reputable high welfare standard breeders so I’m going to talk you through each option and the good points and bad points of each.

Pet Stores: So out off all the places you can get a small pet from- your local pet store is not the place I recommend ever ever! Why? Well here is a list to give you food for thought (get ready for the onslaught) :

Animals in pet stores may come from suppliers that breed them in crowded, unsanitary conditions. They may be subjected to painful deaths without veterinary care if they are not deemed saleable. Pet stories no matter what they say are there to make profit over everything, this means that the welfare for little pets is rarely met. Animals are subjected to stressful sounds and noise in the shop, being handled by young kids and adults who don’t know how to handle them (sadly often including the poorly trained staff).

They get the glass tapped and banged throughout the day and often are not checked enough as staff are busy on the shop floor. Accommodation in the shop is cramped and not appropriate for the pets needs. I would be rich if I had a £1 for every case I have helped or heard off where a person has got a small pet from one of the large pet store chains to find the pet is sickly, stressed and unhappy. Shops can be difficult about then taking the pet back when you tell them that there sick or not eating. While some basic training is given to staff- simple things like knowing the difference between a male and female rabbit has a poor rate in shops such as pets at home (again I can’t tell you how many folk I’ve come across who tell me their pet is male or female, for me to see very quickly that they are not the sex that the staff member told them they were in the shop. This is a disaster as this could them mean that you end up with unexpected babies appearing. Often pregnant pets are sold and they didn’t even know they were pregnant.

The list goes on and on…..without doubt some of the sickest pets I’ve looked after have come from pet stores and no doubt an awful breeder with no training or understanding into the animals they are breeding. There is also no vetting process for folk buying in a shop which means Animals in pet shops are often purchased by people who are unprepared or unable to provide for their needs; many of these animals will be abandoned or will die from neglect or improper care.

             And one of my personal pet store hates is that while some stores claim to be making improvements and vetting the breeders that supply their pet stores with small pets- a huge percentage of small pets such as rabbits and g pigs are split from their mums too young, meaning that terrified young pets are sold in a sickly state that often go on to die.

My final word on buying pets from large pet stores is very clear- stay clear if you want a healthy happy pet. They are fine for buying food items and toys from but don’t get your pets from there. I know some folk get lucky and have a pet that ends up living for years ( that is nothing more then luck of the draw like with anything in life) but by supporting pet stores this way, you are helping the cycle to continue of uneducated so called breeders sending sick pets to be sold for profit. Now and again you might come across a family run small pet shop where the owners really care and sometimes even know the breeders personally. I would still exercise caution and to do your research but often the pets in these smaller family run stores have a higher standard of care and more thought has been put into their care. However the general rule of thumb remains- stay clear of the shops.

Buying online: Okay so next……what about buying a small pet from another person online? Perhaps they are selling on social media like facebook? I advise extreme caution in these situations. In less you actually know the person in question I wouldn’t even consider it in less they can provide me with proof such as a vet letter or qualifications to back them up. I know sometimes folk need to find a home for their pet quickly due to family illness or death and I do know people personally who have managed to find homes for their pets on social media. However a lot of time needs to go into this to make sure the pet you are buying or the pet you are rehoming is going to a suitable home.

             Remember that you have nothing to protect you legally if you buy a pet this way. Also a red flag is when they say they are trying to rehome a much loved pet and then charge for it. Does that seem odd to you? Trust your instinct- those that really love their pet, will find a wonderful home and not care about making money. There are also some wonderful rescues, small pet savy vets and vet supported groups on social media that are full of experienced small pet owners so if you suddenly need to rehome your pet then make sure you seek experienced knowledge before doing so. The last thing you want to do, is give them to someone who can’t care for them, that would break my heart.

     As for looking for pets to buy online on social media or pages such as ebay and gumtree- the same rules apply as the shop, stay well clear! In less they can provide evidence to show they are a reputable breeder then just stay clear. Lots of people these days in order to make extra money will breed from their small pets at home and then sell online, claiming to be an experienced breeder with a high standard of welfare. This is usually nonsense and pets are often sick and stressed. And once the money has exchanged hands and the pet is in your hands, they are your responsibility. I have heard of countless cases when someone gets tricked into buying a pet from a person because they sounded so knowledgeable, only to see how sick their pet is when they take them home, they then try to contact the seller and find their number is blocked and they get no response. Sadly the police don’t really care and the legal frame works in place for this sort of thing are weak and almost none existent, which means you’re left with a sick pet and huge vet bill straight away.

Adopting from a rescue or animal charity: Right…moving on- let’s talk about getting a small pet from a rescue or animal charity. Thankfully this is becoming an extremely popular option for folk wanting small pets. Of course I give a big thumbs up for this option-here is why:

There are many reasons to adopt a pet from a rescue organization instead of buying from a pet store or breeder, including:

• Saving a life: Many animals in shelters are healthy and loving, and need a home. They may have been treated badly in their past life and what can be more rewarding then taking them into your family and showing them love.  

• Preventing overpopulation: Breeding animals for profit contributes to the pet overpopulation crisis. Therefore by adopting you are helping to break the cycle and really helping where it is needed.  

• Supporting ethical practices: Many breeders prioritize profit over the animals' well-being, which can lead to neglect, health problems, and inhumane conditions. Rescues and charities are there for the animals welfare and therefore treat the animals much better.

• Cost-effective: Adoption fees often cover spaying/neutering, vaccinations, and microchipping. That’s it! They don’t ask for more than that. This also means that the pet you select is far more likely to be in a better state of health then one from a pet store. They are also duty bound to inform you of any known health problems or behavioural issues before you say yes which means you are in the know about what kind of level of care they will need and also costs such as vet bills for regular medicines.

• Bonding: most animal rescues will attempt to bond a small pet with another if they are not already in a pair. This makes for a happier pet and many rescues will also offer a bonding service where they can attempt to bond your pre-existing small pet to another for a free or for a small fee.

• Animal health and welfare: Rescue centres prioritize the health and welfare of the animals, and will have already vet-checked, de-wormed, and de-fled them. They may not know everything about the pets past but they are in a better position to give you more information than you would ever get in a pet store.

• Ongoing support: Reputable rescue groups can provide ongoing support and answer questions and help you if you need to rebond pets in the future.

There are only a few factors when it comes to getting small pets from rescues that I’m not so keen on: firstly they may not have much information about the pets past (especially if the pet was abounded) which means you’re still taking a risk that they may have undiagnosed health problems or poor breeding which may lead to issues later down the line. Secondly in some larger rescues where space is a premium, if a pet is not selected after a certain time frame then they may be put to sleep which is heart breaking however I appreciate having worked at a small pet rescue myself that they have little money or support and sometimes hard decisions have to be made. Lastly when it comes to bunnies and E.Cuniculi, I’m a bit uncomfortable when it comes to rescues as they don’t have as much time to take steps to prevent bunnies from catching it from one another and I know of cases where EC negative bunnies went to a rescue to be rebounded with a new bunny as their partner died and then they came home showing signs and symptoms of EC.

                     The best way to get round this is to check first with them, what is their EC policy and if you are considering rebonding an existing bunny then you do have a right to ask for them to do an EC blood test on the other rabbit, to see if they are negative or positive. However you will need to pay for this and EC blood tests can cost anything from £200 to £300 depending on the vet. However if you don’t have a pre-existing pet to bond then this is less of a issue as a bonded pair will already be together. Also if you wanted the pet from a young age then there is less choice as while rescues do get babies in, often it’s the older pets that really need homes.

But despite those few bug bears of mine- rehoming a small pet from a rescue is a wonderful thing to do and very rewarding when you get to know their little personalities and see how you’ve changed their life. It is also a safer option for you and the pet then getting them from a shop or a fake breeder.  

 Buying from a Breeder: Right so lastly on the list: Getting your small pet directly from a breeders. This one is a bit more complicated because breeders really fall into two categories- The good reputable breeders that have certificates of excellence and have real experience working with the small pets they breed and the awful breeders that give the whole breeders society a bad reputation and only care about money and don’t give two figs about the welfare of the pets they sell. The problem is that in less you are very experienced or know an experienced small pet person who can help you then it can be a challenge to know who is a legitimate safe and high welfare breeder and who is just someone out to make money.

Sadly there is no legislation in England that requires rabbit or guinea pig breeders to be registered. This means that anyone can legally breed and sell rabbits or pigs, without a license, inspection, or standards.

The lack of regulation has led to a number of issues, including:

• Uneducated owners

Inexperienced owners may end up with multiple litters they can't care for or sell 

• Mis-sexing

Rabbits are often sold without being correctly sexed, which can lead to more unwanted litters 

• Over-breeding

Some features of rabbits and guinea pigs, such as flat faces, are deliberately over-bred, which can cause health problems 

• Poor housing

Rabbits and guinea pigs are often housed in smaller spaces than recommended 

• Dumping

Rabbits and guinea pigs may be dumped by owners who can't care for them, which can overwhelm rescue centres 

Some organizations are calling for more regulation of the rabbit and guinea pig breeding industry. The RSPCA and the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund are both campaigning for legislation to be included in the Animal Welfare Act.

Vital points on how to find a reputable breeder: So with those points in mind, obviously getting a small pet from a bad breeder is as bad as getting the pet from a pet store, there probably sickly, split from mum too young, not socialized well and may have a huge range of health issues. But the good news is that there are steps you can take to determine whether a breeder is good or bad:

-Firstly, if you are buying from breeders then you have to go there in person to see the pets they have and select what pet you want. If you call or message a so called breeder and they refuse you to go and see their breeding set up then this is a red flag and indicates that it is either a scam or they are poor breeders where the animals are not treated well and they don’t want anyone to see this and expose them. If they don’t let you go then report them to the RSPCA and move on.

- Good breeders live and breathe their small pets and will be able to answer everything you want to know about the specific rabbits or g pigs, and about the breed itself. If the breeder can't do that, this should raise concerns and you should go no further. If they are rude or don’t want to answer your questions or don’t fill you with total confidence then walk away.

-Check them out online first, look for reviews, contact them on the phone and ask if they have any references that have also bought pets from them that would be happy to talk to you. Also ask what vets they use and then contact those vets to see if you can get a positive or negative reference from them. If they do breeding and the vet doesn’t know then this is a red flag and they probably will refuse to give you their vet details in the first place.

- Don’t rush into anything, I know it can be tempting when you just want a pet but finding the right breeder takes time and may even involve a little bit of traveling if you are looking for certain breeds. Do your research and check everything!

-contact exotic vet clinics near you that you know are five star rated-they should be able to offer up some names or at least good reputable small pet organizations and societies that can then recommend breeders to you or point you in the right direction. It is not uncommon for vet nurses to do a small breeding program on the side of their main job to earn a little extra. Most of them are very good but it’s vital to do your background research into everyone!

-DO NOT pay anything up front to a breeder before you have decided you want that pet for certain and certainly do not pay any kind of deposit or fee in order to visit the sight. They are red flags. A good breeder should expect to be asked lots of questions and if they are not willing to give you the time of day or try to pressure you into buying quickly then again, that is not right and I would walk away.

-A good breeder for small pets will know all about E.C and will be able to tell you their hygiene and EC policy if you ask them. If you ask something they should know and they seem unsure. Then leave. Knowledge and experience is what builds the back bones for a top breeder, if they don’t have that then in my book, they are fake.

-Word of mouth is a powerful thing, if you have heard a name for a small pet breeders and all the words uttered are good ones then it’s well worth looking into them but again, even if they have good reviews, still make your own mind up. Going with your gut instinct is vital as I find it rarely leads you wrong.

-If a so called breeder is advertising on social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram, I generally take this as a bad sign because if they are a renowned breeder then they will not need to advertise on such platforms. If you see such an ad and they are talking about deals on pets etc then this is a red flag for someone just trying to make some quick cash and claiming to be a experienced breeder when they are probably anything but. Golden breeders work off recommendations, awards and word of mouth, this is not how the majority of the good ones operate.

-Another way to set them apart is by what they charge. If you see a breeder advertising online and they are charging dirt cheap prices for a rabbit or a guinea pig then that rings alarm bells. Good breeders are normally a bit more expensive but you are paying for good breeding and therefore hopefully a happier longer living pet. Just do the research and you’ll be fine.

-lastly and one of the most important ways to set the good apart from the bad: is visiting the breeder’s house or site, by this point you would have done your background checks and seen the reviews and hopefully got a clear idea about what to expect. You would have also exchanged emails or had a phone call. Any good breeder will allow you and welcome you to arrange a time slot to drop in and visit. You can learn the most now- How clean is the place? How clean are the cages? Do the animals look well fed? Are they happy? Do they seem stressed? Are they behaving like normal buns or pigs or is their behaviour odd? Is their accommodation big enough?

                   Are they thin or do they look healthy? Take a list of questions and work your way through them- do they sell bunnies or pigs in pairs? In less there is a really good reason then all breeders worth their salt should encourage you to purchase a pair of small pets, not a single one. If they say something like “oh there fine on their own” then that’s another red flag. A good breeder will also be strict on what age the pets are ready to leave with you and they should ask you some basic questions about your set up at home to make sure you are equipped for them. They should also offer advice and sometimes care sheets. And lastly a good breeder will take a pet back from you if decide you’re not happy where as a fake will block your calls and do everything they can to ignore you.

So to sum up if you follow these steps then there is no reason why you can’t find a good reputable breeder to select your pet from. Therefore my recommendations are either to get your small pets from reputable animal charities/rescues or a good recommended pure breeder. But caution is advised no matter which option you decide to follow, just make sure you don’t rush and do your research before committing to anything.

Nibbles & Custard Pet Services holds copy right over all blogs and articles on this page. If you see this article on any other pet care page or anything similar please inform us as we take plagiarism and individuals masquerading as false experts without appropriate training and experience even more seriously.