Garden centre outside Carlisle trading in sale of wildlife

hybernia

Houghton Hall, it's called, a former Victorian gentleman's residence outside Carlisle, its extensive grounds now crammed with giant prefabricated buildings self described as a Garden Centre, although the company that owns and runs it, Klondyke Group, seems keen to strike gold with anything and everything it can sell, so in addition to the flowers and shrubs, there's also a franchised hot tub and spa business, a farm shop, a paperback books section, greetings cards, household bric a brac, and womens fashions.

There's also something else that Klondyke is looking to make money out of but which should surely not be there in this 20th year of the 21st century:

Wildlife.

The little brown-pelt rabbit we saw was crouching down in the corner of a tall Perspex roofless enclosure amidst the artificial glare from overhead illumination and the ceaseless hubbub of ambient noise as shoppers trudged past him, their ankles separated from his nose and wide bright eyes by the thin barrier of the Perspex. A sign glued to one of the Perspex walls said rabbits, £80 for 2. Another sign warned: Rabbits are social animals. They like to be in the company of other rabbits.

Strangely enough, the multi-million Klondyke company seems not to read its own signage.

The little fellow we looked at appeared to be entirely on his own, a small defenceless harmless helpless creature of only a few months in age left there to contend with the rigours of a wholly artificial environment and one in which he should never have been placed were there the slightest scrap of concern for the humane treatment of wildlife where Houghton Hall, Carlisle management and Klondyke's Chief Executive and Board of Directors are concerned.

We watched his ears constantly pricking, tracking possible threats as rabbits must do when out in the countryside. Here, unremittingly bombarded by noise and light he was reminded of his vulnerability every second of every minute, his day a continuing torturing by the threatening presence of the surroundings of a  Big Business enterprise which will evidently sell anything if it can make a profit out of it. He couldn't possibly comprehend his surroundings or circumstances, only know that he was vulnerable, and very likely unsafe. No reasoning human being in their right mind would wish that level of anxiety upon a fellow human being, but where Houghton Hall and its owners are concerned, that doesn't matter at all.

How utterly unacceptable in an age when we know so much more about the natural world, and have learned  to value and appreciate its beauty, and comprehend that we are guardians of it during our time on this Earth. But apparently not at Houghton Hall, nor amidst the upper strata of the company's management and directorial board. It's just a rabbit: who cares? Yours for forty quid.

I haven't been as repelled as much by any UK business as I have by Klondyke Group's Houghton Hall, Carlisle, and its unconscionable wildlife trading.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

hybernia said:

Houghton Hall, it's called, a former Victorian gentleman's residence outside Carlisle, its extensive grounds now crammed with giant prefabricated buildings self described as a Garden Centre, although the company that owns and runs it, Klondyke Group, seems keen to strike gold with anything and everything it can sell, so in addition to the flowers and shrubs, there's also a franchised hot tub and spa business, a farm shop, a paperback books section, greetings cards, household bric a brac, and womens fashions.

There's also something else that Klondyke is looking to make money out of but which should surely not be there in this 20th year of the 21st century:

Wildlife.

The little brown-pelt rabbit we saw was crouching down in the corner of a tall Perspex roofless enclosure amidst the artificial glare from overhead illumination and the ceaseless hubbub of ambient noise as shoppers trudged past him, their ankles separated from his nose and wide bright eyes by the thin barrier of the Perspex. A sign glued to one of the Perspex walls said rabbits, £80 for 2. Another sign warned: Rabbits are social animals. They like to be in the company of other rabbits.

Strangely enough, the multi-million Klondyke company seems not to read its own signage.

The little fellow we looked at appeared to be entirely on his own, a small defenceless harmless helpless creature of only a few months in age left there to contend with the rigours of a wholly artificial environment and one in which he should never have been placed were there the slightest scrap of concern for the humane treatment of wildlife where Houghton Hall, Carlisle management and Klondyke's Chief Executive and Board of Directors are concerned.

We watched his ears constantly pricking, tracking possible threats as rabbits must do when out in the countryside. Here, unremittingly bombarded by noise and light he was reminded of his vulnerability every second of every minute, his day a continuing torturing by the threatening presence of the surroundings of a  Big Business enterprise which will evidently sell anything if it can make a profit out of it. He couldn't possibly comprehend his surroundings or circumstances, only know that he was vulnerable, and very likely unsafe. No reasoning human being in their right mind would wish that level of anxiety upon a fellow human being, but where Houghton Hall and its owners are concerned, that doesn't matter at all.

How utterly unacceptable in an age when we know so much more about the natural world, and have learned  to value and appreciate its beauty, and comprehend that we are guardians of it during our time on this Earth. But apparently not at Houghton Hall, nor amidst the upper strata of the company's management and directorial board. It's just a rabbit: who cares? Yours for forty quid.

I haven't been as repelled as much by any UK business as I have by Klondyke Group's Houghton Hall, Carlisle, and its unconscionable wildlife trading.

This thread should be interesting. I’ll get the popcorn!

KatrinaWaves

For those who lost the will to live, much like this rabbit, about two lines in.

A shop is selling pets.

I look forward to your threads about pets at home and every other pet shop. 

I say look forward, no ones gonna read all that. I actually don’t disagree with your stance but targeting one garden centre isn’t gonna make any difference. Target your MP if you feel so strongly. 

JamoLew

If you felt so sorry for it, why didn't you purchase it and then find a friend for it
Failing that - I have some good recipes

Hasbeen

We call them vermin here.

How to solve the rabbit problem some helpful advice from Gov UK:  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rabbits-how-to-control-numbers

They also sell other  pets. And sell chopped up animals in the butcher shop. And little fish kept in glass containers in the aquatics shop. 

https://www.klondyke.co.uk/static/houghton-hall-garden-centre-carlisle.html

JetpackVelociraptor

Put the thesaurus down a second and consider that rabbits are frequently bred and kept in captivity for the pet and meat trades. Just because it was brown doesn't mean it was a wild animal that they captured and put up for sale, in fact given the difficulty of capturing and containing wild rabbits versus the relative ease of breeding them I am 100% certain that what you are describing there is the sale of a captive bred, pet animal. Perhaps someone had just that day purchased its' cage mate.

If you found the way that they kept that animal to be cruel, please do NOT just leave reviews and forum posts hoping someone will read it and be put off from going to the garden centre. If you truly think there is an animal suffering in that environment I personally feel it is your civic duty to report it as soon as possible to the RSPCA.

I am not saying this in support of the garden centre, I've never been there and wouldn't buy a pet from a place like that in any case, but your actions here do no good whatsoever for the animal you're concerned about.