A planning application submitted to a local council in Wales reveals that a couple intends to raise guinea pigs, rabbits, and pigeons for food on their eco-farm. The couple plans to develop vegetable gardens and breed the animals for consumption, with the guinea pigs being a delicacy in some cultures.
The couple will not require a license to slaughter the guinea pigs as long as they own them and kill them on their property. However, there are strict rules regarding the stunning and killing of the animals to ensure that they do not suffer unnecessarily.
The couple's plans have sparked opposition, with a petition gaining hundreds of signatures in just one day. The petition, set up by the Herbivore Club, argues that guinea pigs are cared for and loved as pets in the UK and should not be approved as a meat source under a planning scheme.
Guinea pigs are a common pet in the UK, with over 700,000 residing in British homes. They originated in the Andes of South America, where they were domesticated for thousands of years and are considered a delicacy with a mildly gamey flavor.
The council has conditionally approved the scheme, which is expected to bring in £14,000 by year five of the project. The couple also plans to continue a honey business to generate income for their eco-farm.
The Herbivore Club is calling for the Welsh Government to ban the breeding, killing, sale, and consumption of guinea pigs for food in Wales. The club argues that guinea pigs should be treated as pets and not as a food source.
