Yet another petstore.

[Martini]

Well, last night a friend and i decided to check out a petstore (we were bored so figured why not). I was surprised to see that in the very front window they had a large area dedicated to guinea pigs (this is in London, Ontario). Now, much like many petstores, there simply wasn't enough space for the amount of cavies they had in there. I wouldn't allow someone i hated to drink that water and you couldn't even see the pellets in the dish (as there were far to many wood chips mixed in). But those, i suspect, are the common problems with pet stores. What surpised me is that right on the window it said 'Not for sale, Breeding purposes only'. I had to roll my eyes and go in for a better look. It really sad to see the breeding up front and the pigges in the back having to live with the same horrid food and water. I was origonally going to buy a couple things from there but after seeing that i was more then happy to bring my money elsewhere.

[C&K]

That is absolutely horrid!!

Can you PM me the name of the store or post it? You are allowed to, as long as you are representing the truth!

If you think the conditions where really unsanitary, (dirty water / and food) then try contacting the local SPCA, N_G. helped in having a store in Oakville shut down!

[Martini]

Don't know the petstore's actual name off the top of my head (i didn't even look, it's look to be a ma and pa type place... not a Petsmart type), but i'll make sure to find out before weeks end. You actually have a good point! Thanks! =)

[janetangel]

OMG! Don't you just feel like going up to the owner of the place and ask them "What the @$#& are they thinking?!!!"
My vet for my dogs and cats has a petstore that is very successful and does not sell any pets whatsoever. She sells products, food, books, and has a grooming shop in there. Woe! What a concept! It can be done. She does have a couple of pet birds in there, but they are pets, not for sale.

[Martini]

To be perfectly honest, it was only very recent that i even looked at stuff like that. I just automatically figured the same thing everyone else seems to, "the pet stores know what they're doing". So in some respects, i can't really throw stones.

Now I'm perfectly aware that i am picky and can make a big deal over a little thing (it's a curse, i know). But even the friend i was with was forced to comment on the food and water. So i can't be to far off.

I so agree! I'm actually very surprised that so many stores sell pets like that, considering (and i'm only guessing here) you'd guess the most profit comes from pet toys, grooming and food.

[C&K]

you'd guess the most profit comes from pet toys, grooming and food.

100% true. People are dumb, and petstores like this know it. Often they actually sell the pets at a loss, just that people tend to do one of two things, so they capitalize on both:

A). Gawk over the live merchandise like it is a free zoo. "Gee I'm bored, lets go buy some cat food, and peruse the small animals..."

B.) Feel some sort of stupid loyalty to the store that they bought their animals from. "Lets go visit Fluffy's old home" Or, "that is where Fluffy came from, I love Fluffy, so I must love that store". Or, "They where so nice when they sold us Fluffy".

Seeing as how they have the breeding stock out in the window, it looks to me like they are using the pigs as an instore side show to drive traffic. I wonder what they will do if / when they have dead sows or lethal babies in the tank... Probably just throw them in the trash bucket and hope no one saw.

[nonamian_girl]

Ugh. Is it that little place on Dundas in the same plaza as the Value Village? That place is pretty shady, though I have to admit that they are the only place to sell Allerpet that I could find in both London and Mississauga.

[janetangel]

Glad this is in the kitchen, because it has me fired up. Part of it is because I feel helpless in these situations. I do my best to educate as many people as I can who have animals or is considering getting a pet. Everyone knows at the stables and at work, I am a animal rescue person and do not believe in petshops selling pets. I have always been pretty open about it. My dad has always been an animal person and has rescued tons of them off the streets all my life, even wildlife that has been lost or injured (often rehabilitated and released or brought to a rehab who could care for them). I do not know any different and my boys will not either It is just shocking to me why others cannot see the problem.
I am surprised at how many are surprised at how many animals being put down in shelters like it never occurred to them even though it is not a secret and the issues have been publiciized on TV, newspaper, internet or where ever.

[Martini]

Cavies and Kids: You're so insanely right there! I didn't even think about petstores trying to get loyal costumers by selling pets, but now that it's been put to words like that, it's so true. And yes, i can just see them throwing a guinea pig corpse in the garbage then going on with their day.

Nonamian_girl: I'm not sure about the value village (being a guy i'm blind to anything that isn't a bar, video store or beer store... hehe, just kidding). I can tell you it's by a jumbo video and a beer store though. They do have a ton of stuff that i havn't seen anywhere else. I was so tempted to grab a couple things.

Janetangel: I don't think that everyone doesn't see the problem, it just that we (as a trait of humanity) tends to completely ignore the problem. We're a self delusional race, seeing the world exactly how we want and in a way that tends to support any theories we have about it. With that in mind, everyone tends to be happier with the thought of, "someone else is working on the problem." The problem i see, and correct me if i'm wrong, is that everyone is so busy pretending someone else is working on the problem, not enough people actually are.

[janetangel]

Originally Posted by Martini

Janetangel: everyone is so busy pretending someone else is working on the problem, not enough people actually are.

I definitely agree with you that many people who do know leave it to someone else to work on. My situation is I know I can share with people I meet and talk to, I do not know how to make a bigger difference in pet stores unless they are unsanitary or something like that. I also feel so many people do not know of the problems. For instance I was unaware of the piggie problem until I started to research. I knew I wanted to adopt from day one of making up my mind to get piggies. I just never thought about their being a breeding problem or a problem with the small animals being sold in pet stores. I was always against dogs and cats being sold in pet stores because I grew up in a family who supports the humane society and only we have rescued all the animals we got (dogs and cats). We have always spayed and neutered our pets too, so I did not know any different growing up for a long time.
I use to get my rats and gerbils from the petstore until I learned about them being available at shelters from this site. I can tell you I will not buy one again. When I am ready for a rat again I am going to the shelter. No doubt about it.
So my feelings from my heart is I wish I could convince all petstores to stop selling breeder pets and just adopt out ones already homeless and need a home. I do what I can by talking to people I meet so they can understand the issues too. Oops, it may look like from reading what I type that is all I talk to people about. Well not really, it is just animals are a big part of my life and always have been. It is easy for me to share where my pets come from, how proud I am to have adopted them and save their lives and the benefits of spaying and neutering. I just had a friend who brought home a puppy from someone who was trying to dump it,...she called me tonight to find out about shots. I went on to let her know where her dog can be neutered too.
I wish the cavy and other small animal petstore issues could be more public and a bigger deal like the attention dogs and cats are finally beginning to get.