# Rat Farms :(



## Alethea (Jul 14, 2010)

Rat Farms  
This is the harsh reality of where a rat comes from if purchased from a large scale pet store. I read that this, including the pictures are taken from one of the cleaner and 'better' locations. 

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=85838









--








--


----------



## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

the part that really bothers me is the poor mommy rats. They will never get a real home, they get abused (forced to reproduce constantly with no breaks which to me is cruel) and then they go to a snake. It makes me so sad for them. All I can say is way to continue taking care of your babies mommy rats and RIP. Im so sorry for you. It breaks my heart to think about this becasue I jsut think wow, Pecan had a litter, eventaully got old, and I still loved her with all my heart and soul and no one will ever get to bond with them. I love those girls and dont even know them just wish they had a loving home.


----------



## Spoonrat (Sep 23, 2010)

AMJ087 said:


> I love those girls and dont even know them just wish they had a loving home.


I feel exactly the same way. Whenever I'm tempted to buy a cute rat from a pet shop I make myself go back to looking at photos of breeding farms. There's no way I can support those farms, they make me sick.. I wish we could persuade everyone to stop buying rats from shops, then those farms wouldn't exist anymore. But I guess there are always going to be those who have no idea what the farms are like, and those that know but decide it's ok to buy them anyway.

Wish we could rescue them all


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

What frightens me most is that these are of a mill/farm that allows photographers in, meaning its a very clean operations. Most animal mills/farms aren't accessible, and are incredibly hard to find even mentioned...they are hidden Hells in the animal world. 

I don't go into petstores anymore, I have managed to find all the things I need at pet supply places or online now.


----------



## Alethea (Jul 14, 2010)

I know, it is unbelievable to think that it is not only rats that are kept in small, crowded conditions and forced to breed over and over until they are too old or too weak and end up getting killed or used as snake food like was stated. I couldn't imagine allowing my rat in such a small space and forced to have that many babies in their lifetime. I make me shake my head at the thought that these mills are churning out rats, so to speak and for what? A profit? So they can send more horrid genetics through the stores? So young and old alike can purchase a rat that is doomed to have some kind of illness. 

That is true lilspaz, makes you wonder what the places look like that the general public is not allowed inside. And what is worse is these people that work inside and run the place have no regard for life, what so ever.


----------



## EdieBird (Apr 9, 2010)

Pictures like this make me so grateful for out little mom 'n pop pet shop here. Their employees breed the rats they sell, only one litter at a time and they'll have no rats for long periods while the moms are recovering, all their babies are raised by hand and if you ask them, the employees can tell you all the quirks and traits of each rat.

They also take in rats that are abandoned by their "breeder" (all beige hooded and/or hairless) who leaves them in cardboard boxes on the back step of the shop. (and there's been talk of installing a camera so they can catch the person). They treat these exactly the same as their home-bred babies. 

I've never had a troubled rat from them, and they're all healthy and loving, and if I go in there, they ask how they're doing, even remembering which rats I have from them.

I wish more privately run shops worked like this, then people wouldn't be as tempted by the mass-produced babies and maybe there'd be a dent in the "production."


----------



## Alethea (Jul 14, 2010)

That is good to hear, EdieBird. 
At least I can take slight comfort in the fact that there are a few places left that actually care about the well-being of the animals they are breeding and selling. Too bad such things are like a needle in a haystack, so to speak. These large breeders and mills... If they would take a few extra steps and a few extra care precautions, maybe that would help lessen the problems and the horrors that come from those mass-production places.


----------



## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

I'd rather they left it to hobbyists, but I agree I'd appreciate at least some improvement. I'm grateful that there are some stores that took the message and don't sell animals, the one near me is far-ish but worth it. I feel so bad for those rats but I can't buy a rat from them and support the cycle. I've seen this link before but I'm glad you posted it so others that might not have realized could see.


----------



## Alethea (Jul 14, 2010)

It's hard to ask for improvement, when the ones carrying out these deeds are only in it for the money. And you're welcome, I saw something on here about mills and was doing some reading when I found those pictures >< It's just heartbreaking to know it is not only rats that are bred and kept in these sorts of conditions. The human race makes me wonder sometimes ><


----------

