Question:
I agree with Sue and Neuro. I actually went through a similar situation with Petcetera stores (some people have heard about the atrocities I have seen there). The one in Kamloops really does not take good care of their chinchillas to the point where the last two I saw there had serious upper respiratory illnesses and were still in the display case. As much as it broke my heart not to bring them home, I knew that they would just be replaced with more animals once I bought them. I DID however ask to speak with the store manager and stressed how important and imperative it was to bring these two animals to the vet (one was so sick her eyes were glued shut by discharge). I ended up staying for about an hour and answering tons of chinchilla questions. They obviously had no knowledge of how to care for chins
Following this encounter, I also called head office to tell them about the conditions the chinchillas were kept in. While I still refuse to shop at petcetera, The lady I spoke with did a follow up and admitted they had no reports indicating chins were getting sick (the store is supposed to notify the head office immediately when animals get sick and require vet care). They told me both chins had been taken to a vet and gave me the vet's name and number. (I knew the vet too) I just gave them a quick call to verify that the chins were indeed brought in and sure enough, things checked out.
I think education and holding pet stores accountable for their care is the best way to go. Had the chins not received medical attention I would have made a call to the local shelter and probably written another letter to the company president. It's impossible to be a good samaritan for every animal in a pet store that is not cared for properly. You just end up giving your money to people who don't deserve it and they just keep bringing in more animals that are in turn mistreated. The cycle just goes on and on forever that way.


Answer:
Thats the perdicament i found i was in when i was working at the pets unlimited here in saint-john ... the SPCA representative overlooks a lot of issues when they come by ... mainly because they get ... discounts they call it ... to help them over look all the neglected animals. And educating them is out of the questing ... proof of it was during a meeting ... the manager said that sales are more important then the animal themselves. They had a shipment come in ... with 12 dead hamsters within it ... and they still purchase from the same people ... cause they can make the most profit from these people ...
I walked out on them during my shift ... the pet-store here probably has as high a turn-over as the mcdonalds next door does ... just goes too show i guess ...


Answer:
How disgusting. What a shame for the animals.
I guess the only real way to get the point across is to AVOID AVOID AVOID shopping @ these places.
My local independent petstore seems to take great care of the animals & they have a good turnover.
The mall petstore is pretty crappy on the other hand....


Answer:
I agree with Neuro and say 'Vote with your feet' and walk right out of that store and never give them your business again.
Would it be illegal to print out flyers of their business practices and hand them out to customers visiting the store?


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weve definantly stopped any business with them ... i already posted to about the new independant pet-store that just open in my area ... all our business is going to support him. it wouldnt be illegal Diana ... i dont think ... ive seen people protest in front of other companies before about poor service or what not ... the best thing i can do is not go there and recommend any clients i get for my hedgehogs not to go to that store neither. i feel bad for the animals ... some people they get working there ... *sigh* ...


Answer:
Yes it would be illegal to post posters or pass them out, but Rob you are on the inside. What department do you work in. When you ask a customer if they need help tell them that you would recommend buying cages from the store you work in but not the animals, tell them your reasons. Recommend the new petstore or a private breeder you know. You don't have to loose your job by doing it right in front of your boss. I know from personal experience I will never buy another pet from the Moncton Pets Unlimited, don't know where they get their animals from but they should really stop!
Good luck it is a hard thing to do. I used to work in a petstore so I know where you are coming from.


Answer:
Originally Posted by neuroleptical
How disgusting. What a shame for the animals.
I guess the only real way to get the point across is to AVOID AVOID AVOID shopping @ these places.
My local independent petstore seems to take great care of the animals & they have a good turnover.
The mall petstore is pretty crappy on the other hand....
oh yea dont bet on it, skeeters is now under new owners and well lets just say BLECH!!!


Answer:
Last month in the Pets Unlimited in Truro, N.S. they had a bunch of sick hamsters with a sign reading "being medicated, new shipment from Singapore". Do they really ship hamsters all the way from there to sell in the Maritimes? How ridiculous.


Answer:
Hey ratlady, I noticed that creepy slick fat guy hanging out all the time @ Skeeter's & I have to agree w/ you BLECH.
But last time I was there (back in Dec.) the guinea pigs & rabbits were in a nice big enclosure w/ clean water & pellets & bedding, & the kittens & puppies had decent enclosures, could be larger but they used to always let them out for long playtimes. I hope this new owner doesn't act like a freak to the animals.
Can you tell me what has gone wrong @ Skeeter's?


Answer:
Wow, why in the world would they ship hamsters from Singapore to sell there?!? That's a heck of a long way for a hamster! Are they some kind of exotic strain? I've hardly ever heard of animals being shipped OUT of Singapore to be sold, we're such a small country, animals are usually shipped IN to be sold, lol!