Rats

[kirs]

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I took my children to a petting farm last week and was so sad to see how the rats were being kept.They were in small aquariams with no toys,nothing. One female had had a litter the day before and they were just lying in the sawdust,no bed and no cover.The same female's previous 3 week old litter were in with her, still feeding off her and running all over the newborns.

I asked a member of staff about it and she said that was just where she had chosen to give birth and it was fine.

Nearly every family who saw the newborns assumed they were being eaten and moved their children on!

Truly horrendous!

 

[Hula]

That is totally wrong and they should be reported to the RSPCA :angry:

 

[kirs]

I have no faith in the RSPCA

 

[Esty]

I would email them/ write to them attaching a couple of guides to rat-keeping (think the RSPCA and other places have them on their website for download). Explain how upset you were and how intelligent rats are and that they need toys and things to explore. Also say you were very close to calling the RSPCA but thought it might be better to help than complain. Say how many other people there had been appalled and that it's very bad for them to be seen keeping animals this way as people won't come again - if they think it is hitting their purse they might do something about it.

Edited to say: I have little faith in the RSPCA as well. They would probably not get involved but the petting farm people don't know that

 

[kirs]

The breeder who I got my rats off said a few years ago a whole load of rat lovers went in and just lifted the lot from Whitehouse farm. And yet they have just replaced them!

 

[robandkay]

I would email them/ write to them attaching a couple of guides to rat-keeping (think the RSPCA and other places have them on their website for download). Explain how upset you were and how intelligent rats are and that they need toys and things to explore. Also say you were very close to calling the RSPCA but thought it might be better to help than complain. Say how many other people there had been appalled and that it's very bad for them to be seen keeping animals this way as people won't come again - if they think it is hitting their purse they might do something about it.
Edited to say: I have little faith in the RSPCA as well. They would probably not get involved but the petting farm people don't know that

I think Esty has given you very good advice. They do not know whether the RSPCA will pay them a visit or not, so the onus is on them to improve conditions or risk bad publicity. I reported a pet store to the RSPCA a few years ago for keeping 10 - 15 chipmunks in a tiny cage smaller than a rabbit hutch (thet said it was temporary while their other accomodation was being sorted, - but three weeks later they were still there, slowly going mad!) I called the RSPCA and have to say, they paid them a visit and the inspector even called me back to tell me he had given them a warning and that he would be returning in a couple of days to make sure they had been moved to a more suitable enclosure. So, although people don't always have a lot of faith in the RSPCA if things don't improve you have nothing to lose by contacting them.

If all else fails, write a letter to your local newspaper! Good luck! :luck:

 

[Janimal]

Im very surprised that this farm is getting away with so much...wherever it is.... :rant: that is horendous conditions for rats and babies.

I work on a Petting farm...all be it a 750 working farm though too I might add...and NO we dont keep rats or intend to...

but the RSPCA do pay us visits and vets too...and the farm has to pass certain conditions to be able to keep certain animals and make sure

their living conditions are the correct size etc. so I dont know how on earth they are getting away with it as I said.

Our farm has won Tourism awards and the owners are very proud of it...and would hate to think this sort of thing would bring them any bad publicity

so Im very shocked that they would do such things.

They definitely want reporting... :thumbsup:

 

[I'mALurcherLover]

:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: