| Designer Pets 1: The Skinny Pig |
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| Written by Kitty Teddy | ||||
| Saturday, 13 October 2007 | ||||
 Part 1 - of a three-part My Pet Friends Special report- Reports about designer pets have been on the increase over the past few years. In this three part special, the My Pet Friends team will be looking at some of the most popular designer pets around today. Designer pets change in popularity and new ones emerge all the time, and this week is no exception – have you heard of the skinny-pig - a bizarre breed of guinea pig? - The skinny-pig has no hair on its body except for a few tufts on its face and feet – this lack of protection means that the animal’s skin requires constant moisturizing, strong sun cream in the summer and layers of clothes in winter – and if that wasn’t enough, they eat three times the amount of a normal hairy guinea pig. If you are prepared for all the work this little fellow requires, you’ll have to pay around £150 for the privilege. - Skinny Pigs were created using mutated genes during the Seventies and their bare skin was used for dermatological experiments. The animals were then given to breeders who have mated them with traditional guinea pigs to strengthen their immune system. Sharon Taylor, a traditional guinea pig breeder from Dorset told My Pet Friends that ‘the thought of a hairless guinea pig is revolting – it’s unnatural and cruel. The animal must be in pain from the lack of hair – hair provides a protective layer and without it they could easily damage their skin from scratches and string sunlight. It’s a pity that an animal that was used in drug experiments in being kept by people” - Despite Sharon’s reservations, skinny-pig breeders say that they are doing nothing that is cruel the skinny breeds have added health benefits for humans – they are better for pet allergy suffers such as asthmatics. - Reports suggest that demand is outstripping supply so it looks like they’re here to stay. Although you won’t find them in pet shops and local pet stores just yet. - Come back to the read the next part in this three part special on Designer Pets – Tuesday 16th October. If you can’t wait until then and crave more pet news, search the My Pet Friends pet news archives. - (My Pet Friends supports initiatives to re-home unwanted pets and would always urge its readers to consider adopting a rescued pet or a pet that needs re-homing when considering a new pet.) -  Add as favourites (0) |  Quote this article on your site | Views: 599
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