Breeder Definitions
By Teresa MurphyUpdated: August 22, 2006Let's assume for a moment that all breeders are good breeders. Let's look at breeder definitions based on the INTENT, the PLACEMENT PROCESS and the PLACEMENT RESULTS. Let's put very objective, measurable and realistic parameters in place for determining the breeder type.
Caring for a dozen cavies is challenging enough for one person. 20, if you are breeding and producing offspring, would be a challenge for a "hobby" breeder. 40 is a LOT of animals and really stretching the bounds of what is physically possible. Over 50 is too many. This was also the conclusion reached on a breeder forum about the ideal number of guinea pigs--10 to 20 per breed and variety being ideal. I've personally had 60 plus in my home at one time--wall-to-wall--with VERY FEW pregnant and it was a non-stop effort to care for them and it took significant additional help.
In a breeding program, someone with over 50 is no longer in it for the 'cavy' and is a mill breeder. They HAVE to be selling to distributors, pet stores and/or auctions on a regular basis to keep their numbers down.
MILL BREEDER: a breeder with OVER 50 cavies who occasionally or regularly sells animals into the wholesale/retail market. OR a breeder with UNDER 50 cavies who REGULARLY sells animals into the wholesale/retail market.
SHOW BREEDER: a breeder with UNDER 50 cavies who occasionally sells animals into the wholesale/retail market.
HOBBY BREEDER: a breeder with UNDER 50 cavies who does NOT sell any animals into the wholesale/retail market.
RESPONSIBLE BREEDER: a breeder with UNDER 50 cavies who does NOT sell any animals into the wholesale/retail market, and further, does NOT sell any animals into unscreened homes, does NOT promote breeding of cavies by pet owners, is FAMILIAR with the shelters and rescues in their area, does NOT sell their cavies to other Mill or Show Breeders, and takes lifetime responsibility for the placement of their animals.
In theory, a truly responsible breeder should have significantly higher standards of ethics, care, education, and placement than the most responsible rescue. It is they who should be setting the bar to which everyone else aspires.
BACKYARD BREEDER: Anyone who breeds because they want babies. There is no cavy fancier's pretense of 'bettering the breed.' Anything can happen to the babies, they could be kept, they could be rehomed, they could be sold into the wholesale/retail market (usually pet stores).
COMMERCIAL BREEDER: a breeder or company who sells animals directly into the wholesale/retail/research market and does NOT consider themselves a 'fancier' and does NOT attend shows.
Clarification of terms/phrases/assumptions:
Wholesale/retail market includes: - pet stores (single or chain) regardless of how great any such pet store is claimed to be.
- wholesalers
- distributors
- auctions/auctioneers
- internet ads of cavies for 'sale' with no associated application process
unscreened homes: for example, a 4Her is NOT, by definition, a 'screened' home. A screened home is family who has been evaluated through a PROCESS to be shown to be able to provide the PROPER care, environment and resources for the animals.
FAMILIAR with the shelters and rescues in their area: this is more than knowing who and where they are. This is a some periodic familiarity with their animals for adoption as well as a personal dialog with the appropriate contacts at those facilities.
lifetime responsibility for the placement of their animals: this is more than just saying, "if you don't like them, I'll take them back." This is a commitment to rehome the animals personally in the event (and it does happen) that the home can no longer keep the cavies, for whatever reason. It is also an implied commitment to keep tabs on the health and longevity of those animals so that the longterm ramifications of that breeder's program can be evaluated.
These breeder definitions are simply to distinguish the INTENT and the PLACEMENT PROCESS and the PLACEMENT RESULT of the breeders. It is NOT adding any pejorative qualities to the definitions.
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