A milestone victory for animal welfare advocates in California and across the world as it became the first state to ban puppy mills. Late last week the state passed a law banning puppies as well as kittens and rabbits produced on large-scale breeding farm operations from being sold in pet stores.

The law will go into effect January 1, 2019, and require all animals sold in pet stores to be truly rescued animals from shelters or rescue groups. The move will not only reduce the number of animals suffering in the egregious breeding conditions of puppy mills, but also reduce the number of shelter animals euthanized because they can’t be placed.

“This landmark law breaks the puppy mill supply chain that pushes puppies into California pet stores and has allowed unscrupulous breeders to profit from abusive practices,” Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, told Business Insider.

Thirty-six California cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco already have puppy mill bans in place, but the new law will help to drive the large-scale breeders out of business. Any store selling animals from breeders could be fined $500 per sale.

“Californians recognize that pet stores enable the work of puppy mills, which cause suffering for dogs and heartbreak for consumers,” Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, said in a statement. “We are grateful to Governor Brown for putting his stamp of approval on a state policy to dry up funding for this inhumane industry.”

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 1.5 million animals are euthanized every year as a result of puppy mill and other large-scale breeding operations. Before the law passed, only one percent of pet store animals were rescues.

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By now, we know not to purchase puppies from pet shops. The inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills makes the news regularly as our state governments attempt to legislate those breeding facilities. But mass breeding doesn’t stop with puppy mills. Other, equally inhumane breeding facilities exist across the country. One of the worst? Guinea pig mills.

Guinea pigs are cute little rodents that originated in South America. They have a longer lifespan than most small pets, living five to seven years. They’re social animals and love to be handled by their people. But because of their popularity – really, how can anyone resist that cute little nose? – industrial breeding mills mass produce the small furry friends. They make great family pets, but if you’re interested in adding a guinea pig to your home, locate adoptable guinea pigs rather than purchasing one from a pet shop.

Just like adding a dog or cat to your household, adopting a guinea pig requires some thoughtful planning. Here are 10 tips to help you rescue the perfect guinea pig for your family:

• Don’t shop; adopt!
• Determine if you have enough space to adequately house a guinea pig – if you have room for two of the social buggers, even better! For one guinea pig, 30″x36″ is a good idea; for two, aim for 30″x50″.
• Plan for the care and feeding of your guinea pigs. In addition to a roomy cage, they require a mix of pellets, hay, and fresh vegetables.
• Learn about a guinea pig’s exercise requirements. Yep! Just like us, they require daily exercise like running around a large, fully-enclosed pen.
• Find a small animal veterinarian that will give your new pet a once-over exam and handle emergency care, if required.
• Stop by your local animal shelter to find out if they rescue guinea pigs.
• If your local shelter doesn’t have any, but they do rescue them, let the adoption coordinators know that you’re interested, and they will notify you when a guinea pig gets turned in.
• If you’ve exhausted local options, search areas surrounding your zip code on Petfinder.com.
• If you decide to adopt multiples, aim for the same gender – or else get the males neutered to prevent further overpopulation.
• Most importantly, meet and handle the guinea pigs before you adopt. Ask the shelter if they’re fine with children if you have kids. Find out about any health concerns (fur loss, for example) or behavioral issues.

A rescued guinea pig makes a great pet – not as high maintenance as a dog or cat and far friendlier than a hamster. And by adopting a rescued guinea pig, you’re helping to break the cycle of abuse in guinea pig mills.

Images: David Masters, photon_de

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