[VoodooJoint]

Another example of why petstores that sell animals and hold adoption days doesn't work. From Cavy Care Inc. Guinea Pig Shelter

[FONT=Arial]Folks have been asking, [/FONT][FONT=Arial]"Why do you not see Cavy Care Inc. in Petsmart any more?" [/FONT]

Six years ago we embarked on an innovative ideal at the invitation of Linda Zottnick, Manager of a Petsmart located at 104th and I-25, bring our adoptable guinea pigs in to her store on a permanent bases. Linda embraced the motto of Petsmart charities, “promoting adoptable animals where ever possible” and she did. Later at the suggestion of Karen Warden, Regional Manager, because of the success of our program she suggested that they would no longer sell guinea pigs in those stores that CCI was located at. Our program had proven itself to be very successful.

In 2004 we where offered as many as 17 stores in the region but due to volunteer staffing shortages we where only able to maintain six locations.

Our goal is the quality of the animals we offer for adoption, not how many we get adopted. And so we maintained six stores in varies locations.

That all changed in January/March of 2006. A corporate big wig from Phoenix came through Colorado and ordered the six stores we where located in to start selling baby guinea pigs. “The Petsmart motto of offering adoptable animals wherever possible only applied to dogs and cats, not guinea pigs”, was her response, despite our placement of over 4000 guinea pigs in the last 8-years. All locations quickly complied except Ken Caryl. They have been holding out for as long as they could. But as of today (10/30/06) I have notified them that we will be pulling out as of November 15th. They have received orders to comply by the new District Manager, and while we appreciate their desire to make a difference there is no reason their manager needs to get in trouble ~Petsmart corporate has indicated they are no longer interested in promoting any thing other then dogs and cats.

For the last ten months we have attempted to work with this new policy. But hey, babies are cute and who wouldn’t want them. Over time we found ourselves moved to areas away from their own animals. Located back by the fish tanks or located behind the large kennels of adoptable cats. No one could find us. We where placed in areas folks where not going to find us if they where looking for a guinea pigs. What made it even worse was that even when we where in a store, folks looking to adopt where told we where no longer there, even when we were.

Enough was enough. Adoptions dropped to where we where getting zero of our guinea pigs adopted for months at a time. These where locations that we use to have trouble keeping full and would have to make special trips to fill again. These are stressful environments and if our animals where not going to even get any type of consideration then it was time to leave. These creatures deserved better.