By Jonty Ralphsmith
Australia’s oldest and longest-serving Cavy Club is celebrating its 60th Birthday.
The Cavy Council of Victoria will celebrate the milestone with a show on Sunday 3 July from 10:30 – 3:30pm at 41 Menzies Avenue, Dandenong North.
Cavy – the scientific word for guinea pig – is an animal that has provided great pleasure for people across generations.
The club meets once per month with shows providing the opportunity for people to show off their pets and interact with others about the wellbeing of the animal.
On average, about 40 members attend each show with two separate competitions; one requires the animal’s appearance and presentation to adhere to a book of standards, another category judges the health and grooming of the animal.
The shows do not require the animals to physically exert, and they sit on separate mats with judges individually examining them for hygiene reasons. The RSPCA indicated it had received no cruelty reports relating to the Cavy Council of Victoria.
“They’re a docile animal and the nature of the animal endears itself to people of all ages – we have people from 5-70 years old that are members,” vice-president Michael Carter said.
“It is a great form of social interaction and it’s a great way for kids to learn about responsible pet ownership in terms of feeding or health tips.
“Because they’re not a powerful animal, they are also ideal because children can do their own exhibiting.”
There are ten shows per year with no shows during December and January as the animals do not cope well with heat.
To find out more or explore joining the club, visit the website: https://www.google.com/search?q=cavy+club+victoria&rlz=1C1GCEV_en-GBAU987AU987&oq=cavy+club+victoria&aqs=chrome.0.0i512j0i22i30j0i390l2.2937j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
