I admit to being completely ignorant as to the scope of something like this. I knew that pet stores were a place to avoid getting pets from, but I had no idea how bad it really was.
The overwhelming majority of pet stores that sell live animals should not be in that business. Pet stores should be supplies only. It really is that bad yet people on this forum and elsewhere keep going back to these stores, particularly the chain stores, to buy their supplies because they're cheaper and more convenient. The power to change the system is within our grasp. Most of the chains have quit selling puppies and kittens yet they keep selling the small animals, bird, reptiles, etc. because people just don't care as much about them. You have to make your voice heard with your money. It's the only language they speak. And you have to let them know you've quit shopping their because they sell live animals.
Please bear with me with my next question, but if the animals go go a rescue, what then? Don't rescues typically adopt the animals out? I'm asking that because if the Humane Society says they will not be adopted out, how is it possible to keep track of so many animals that will be going to so many different locations? How can it be expected to keep them with a rescue organization indefinitely?
Yes, with a few exceptions (often called sanctuaries), most rescues adopt out the animals they take in. Many will only take in the adoptable ones. If a rescue gets too many "sanctuary" animals, it limits their ability to take in more rescues. Eventually they are full with animals that can't be adopted out. I know of multiple cases where this has occurred in different breeds and species, and they just cease to take in animals until some in their care pass away which can be years later.
Some rescues will take in animals involved in lawsuits like this one knowing they'll be with them long term. In other cases, for example a dog involved in a bite incident, the animal is kept at a shelter in a location where people can't interact with the dog until the court case is decided and the dog is either put to sleep or returned to its owner.
It doesn't sound like they yet know what to do with these animals. Zoos, sanctuaries, rescues, etc. are all being considered. It may depend on the type of animal. I can't imagine zoos or sanctuaries lining up for the 2000 hamsters (unless they're one of the endangered and hard-to-keep species like the European hamster but even then...). For any of the common hamster species or other small animals readily available, it just doesn't make sense to send them to zoos or sanctuaries. For some of the other animals like the wallabies, though, a sanctuary or zoo may be the best option depending on the condition of the animals.
But the sheer volume of some of these species means the overwhelming majority of rescues can't handle them either. Rescues just don't keep open capacity for hundreds or thousands of animals coming in at one time -- especially if potential pregnancies are involved or if the animals are sick and need extra care. And then it gets difficult to assess which rescues are legitimate (some of your dog "rescuers" actually do it to make a living). For your smallest, least expensive animals, you can't use 501(c)3 non-profit status to weed out the bad from the good since even the legitimate small animal rescues typically don't pay to get that status.
So it's a big mess, and the animals will be the ones to suffer. The volume and range of animals is just too much to deal with easily. People on this list and others around the country will take in small numbers, but when there are hundreds and thousands of some of these species/breeds, passing them out even in 10's is a monstrous job that no one is equipped to do.
Linda
