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Petition update, 28 November 2008

More details from petition creator

Skinny pigs are unlike normal guinea pigs. They CANNOT live outside and need to be kept at temperatures above 10oC and out of draughts due to their lack of hair.

Skinny pigs are prone to skin problems, such as dry skin and skin cancer. As a result, they should not be exposed to the sun without high factor suncream.

Additionally, they lose a lot of heat through their skin and so have a high metabolic rate, resulting in the need to eat more food for warmth.

Baldwins have the same special requirements, with the addition that they lack a thymus gland, leading to a VERY low immune system. Only experts should be able to keep this species.

These breeds are unsuitable for children or inexperienced owners with a lack of knowledge about their special needs. Only recognised, professional breeders should be able to sell them. Standard pet shops lack the time and resources to train their staff in the special care of these animals, making it impossible to ensure potential owners have the knowledge to care for these specialist breeds, as well as their proper care whilst in the store.

To protect their welfare, we need to ensure that only recognised breeders are able to stock and sell these guinea pigs.

Current signatories

Carol Venables, the Petition Creator, joined by:

• Ben Parish
• Kally Lamb
• Emma Pattinson
• K Stanley
• Coral Smith
• Clare Clark
• Fran Nicholls
• Rebecca House
• kelly
• Graham Southern
• andy petherbridge
• Angel Ward
• Julie King
• Zane Ward
• Charlotte Sherrard
• Lisa Selby
• emma-jayne moore
• saffron winter
• Lynnette Carr
• Danielle Small
• Kate Butcher
• Claire
• Wendy
• Richard Beaty
• Michelle Nelson
• Teresa McCurrach
• Wanda Stockdale
• Susan Blake
• Clare Fowler
• leonna brash
• joanne bennett
• Nicola Keir
• Emma Baker
• j kime
• Gemma Flood
• Emma-Jane Gibson
• tracey wolfe
• Lucy Hayreh
• shan chapman
• Michelle Bailey
• Claire Brooke
• Beth
• Jo
• Steve
• Geraldine Smyth
• Simon Booth
• Claire Boon
• Douglas Smith
• Holly Finnigan
• Ron Luton-Brown
• stacey gardner
• Victoria Smith
• holly corlett
• Bethany Gardner
• Angela Honeywell
• Dan Thomas
• Derek Knight
• Ruxandra Knight
• jennifer brown
• Michaela (iloveanimals)
• Caroline Harrold
• Lesley Burrell
• Apollonia Micele
• Joanne Packham
• Una laycock
• Hannah Phillips
• Dawn Salisbury
• dawn valko
• Natalie Hooton
• G fareday
• christine edwards
• victoria jane holt
• Rebecca Long
• Jane goben
• J Furnell
• kate Nicholas
• Euan Lewis
• Rachel Bayes
• Linda Cass
• Kirsty Todd
• emma creighton
• Sarah Franklin
• Angela Brunton
• Andrew Main
• Lynsey Geary
• Suzie Barron
• kathy wainman
• Tanya West
• Nicola Blake
• nicola tuitt
• elizabeth wilcock
• Kelly Walker
• Hannah Northern
• Kathryn Lees
• Amanda Walmsley
• Ammie Davies
• Jean Butcher
• Claire Petrie
• A Edwards
• Geoff Butcher
• Tina-Merie Webb
• Alison Warren
• Diane Jury
• roger Davis
• Claire Eminson
• Alan Paul Booth
• Susan Nancy
• Elizabeth Douglas
• Sharon Thorne
• Laure Rigal
• Becky Smith
• trudy collins
• Victoria Wilson
• Shelley Harris
• Carrie Baker
• Gemma Stirling
• Isabelle Cooper
• Charlotte High
• Rachel Wilton
• Joy Bosworth
• alison forde
• Charlotte Burton
• marie haigh
• Scarlet Lamb
• Mr Roy Strange
• Felicia Goodwin
• Lisa Anderson
• Molly McGregor
• Zoe Thorne-Jones
• LUCY ALBONI
• cherry Woods
• Rosie Martin
• Helen Kemp
• Esther Hardy
• Joanne McGrath
• Hannah Gibbs
• Jane Burchell
• Deirdre O'Rourke
• Fiona Carlin
• Alexandra Heath
• Louise Delany
• Annabel Lee
• Karen Hide
• Donna Yerby
• john Dekker
• Sally Hayden
• Julie Charlwood
• Peter Nunn
• Georgina Nunn
• melanie matthews
• Anna Farthing
• Saskia Cousins
• Scott Wood
• Jackie Mutlow
• Hannah Garland
• Alice breaks
• philip House
• Nigel Clarke
• Yat-Keung Lee
• Lisa Dickson
• jacqueline mary hill
• Jacky Pett
• Nathan Anderson
• Elizabeth Sullivan
• Jennifer Brown
• Alison Earnshaw (petitions.pm.gov.uk/their-rights)
• Eloise Hawkins
• sarah garrett
• stephen garrett
• Carol Venables
• laura
• philip lomas
• Andrew Murray
• Bree Roobottom
• Sarah Lea
• Claire Roberts
• John Holden (petitions.pm.gov.uk/Thereisnogod)
• chris barlow
• Bronny Lewis
• Euan A. Lewis
• Dale Franklin
• sandra finn
• Lynn Johnson
• Bob Jury
• Brett Newsham
• Michelle Bartlett
• karen LeCras
• Gwen Phillips
• Gareth Halford
• Liam Foster
• Stuart Watson
• Clare Brinkley
• Victoria Atkins
• Denise House
• marie haigh
• Patricia Atkins
• Deborah Astley
• Toni Atkins
• laura conway
• Julia van Zeller
• Julia Edwards
• Karen Malt
• louise byrne
• Kerry
• Tracy Venus
• elaine halford
• Linda Macpherson
• Maria Williams
• Amanda Davies
• Carrie Baker
• Joanne Evans
• Cara Moncrieff-Ross
• Kim Webster
• Niki
• Linda Collins
• Jennifer Cox
• the dis-allow regular pet shop and store from selling skinny pig and baldwin
• Laura Humphreys
• Tracy Nathan
• Emily Ho
• Rob Levy
• Nicola Botham
• stewart mclean
• Anne Newton
• I Rathie
• Lorna M. H. Connolly
• Andrew Benson
• Andrew Difiori
• Amanda Brown
• Sandra Durling
• Catherine Todd
• J Rawbone