Pets at home, BAD PETSHOP!

[Fay]

I spoke to a friend of mine in the UK who worked at Pets At home in Tamworth and had some horrid experiences there.

She once saw this box at the counter and wondered what was in there, so when there were no costumers she looked in the box and saw a guinea pig with tiny bit of hay that most have been there for ages.

In this pet store there would be hamsters eating each other and in the back theres cages with like 10 rats.

She was forced to put bunnys with guinea pigs. While she knew it was wrong but wasn't sure what to do.

Animals were being kept in small cages, She told me about one parrot who was in a tiny bird cage and was allowed out only once a day in the staff kitchen, he got so bored he would pluck his own feathers!

They got their animals from a mixture of petfarms and local breeders where the animals would be inbreeding.

They used to keep sick and injured animals in a shallow cupboard like a wardrobe , just deep enough to fit a few small hamster cages. They called it the Isolation room! IT'S NOT EVEN A ROOM! and you were forced to wear masks and gloves if you were to handle these animals but since it looked stupid nobody would!

Then the worst of all, She once saw something absolutely horrible, There was this one guinea pig in the shop that had an extra toe, so the owner of the shop cut of the toe with nail szicors!!!! She was absolutely horrified and yelled at the owner and quite her job. I've convinced her to say something to the RSPCA!

BUT PLEASE support us get this pet shop to close its doors!
She worked there a year ago so it might be different now but Anyone who lives in that region could you please go to that petshop and check it out or help us report them! This is just so horrible!

Adress:

Pets At Home Ltd
Unit 3/Ventura Retail Pk/Ventura Pk Rd
Bonehill
Tamworth
B78 3HB

Telephone: 01827 317520


Most bad stuff goes on in the back so if you are going there to see take notice of the back!

[cookie_gal]

I hate my local one too! I was there the other week and the rabbits and guinea pigs were housed together and it was overcrowded, I told everyone around the area at the time how this was wrong and they all walked away from the animals.

Its disgusting.

[naturestee]

I know some people on a UK rabbit forum who have been working on the rabbit side of this. Some rescues are urging boycotts too, and few if any people on that forum go in to Pets at Home unless it's to check up on the animals and report them if necessary.

Also many of the rescuers and volunteers there have shared lots of stories about P&H misinforming new owners about rabbit care, housing opposite sexes resulting in accidental pregnancies (which they offer to sell, although often end up in rescues too), etc.

Here's some info from the Green Fields Rescue:
Green Fields Rescue - Caring for rabbits and Guinea Pigs

I'm not in the UK but it's amazing how much I hate that chain of stores now.

[daftscotslass]

Well, it's "company policy" to house the rabbits with the cavies. Apparently the stores do not recommend selling them together but I witnessed them selling a very large dutch rabbit with a very small guinea pig last week when I was in checking up on them.

You can read my full opinion on Shopping, best shop, Price comparison, Product review at dooyoo.co.uk - search for the name of the store and my ID is the same as on here.

[Fay]

we have to do something to stop this chain of petshops, what can we do? I don't live in the uk neither, we need people there that have to report all the cases to the government or rspca or something. It's clear that a lot of people seen this stuff happen. We have to stop the abusing of animals!

maybe start an online petition and mail it to the government or something?

[CavyKind]

The problem is that there are so many people who profess to love and care about the welfare of guinea pigs...but cannot or will not recognise that there is anything wrong in these pet shops.

I don't think we have a UK guinea pig board that would encourage the boycotting of these places. We don't have one that is truly pro-rescue and welfare orientated.

I was in one of these shops a week ago to have a nosey and there was a rabbit going beserk (okay normal bunny behaviour) and racing wildly around the pen. There were baby guineas in there getting scatterred everywhere.
It's truly sickening.

[Fay]

That's absolutetly horrible, we need some people to start boycotting in the UK!

[Rachy1412]

The only problem I have with my local Pets At Home is them keeping together rabbits and guinea pigs, and well sellings pets full stop. Pets At Home is the only place I can buy timothy hay aswell.

[cookie_gal]

Well I emailed Pets at Home last Friday and guess what! I got a reply! Sorry about colour and font, I couldn't change it, this is how it came in my email and I've copied and pasted it so you could see it. If a mod wants to change it, please feel free to do so. Its not bad, a step in the right direction, I sincerely hope that they do continue to house them separate, and do this in the old stores too.

Here it is!
[FONT=Arial][FONT=Papyrus]---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/FONT][/FONT]
Thank you for your email

Further to your letter, the question of housing rabbits and guinea pigs together is one which we are aware there is much discussion on in the animal world

I note what you’re saying regarding this and have forwarded your comments to our Livestock Manager and the stores concerned. At present in our new stores we’re housing the Guinea Pigs and rabbits separately with the potential of possibly making the changes in the near future in our existing stores which you will appreciate will take time. Currently their conditions are above the required level as recommended by the Pet Care Trust – which is the overseeing body for Pet Shops. We are licensed by the local authority and subject to monitoring visits from them on a regular basis and the RSPCA

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to tell us about your concerns but please be assured we do care very much for the welfare of our livestock.
Regards
Alison

[Percy's Mom]

Actually, that email sounds more like they don't want you to cause any trouble, so they're telling you what you wanted to hear.

"potential of possibly making the changes in the near future in our existing stores which you will appreciate will take time." says to me that they may or may not change anything, but they said it would take time, so if you email them again, they can say they are still working on it.

"conditions are above the required level as recommended by the Pet Care Trust " What is required by the Pet Care Trust?

"subject to monitoring visits from them on a regular basis and the RSPCA" If the RSPCA is anything at all like the ASPCA, they don't have time to go from store to store, and if they do, as long as there is any form of food and water, they will probably say things are fine.

Words mean nothing in the long run. If something actually happens, then you'll have progress. Even if they make the changes they claim to be making, they are still supporting breeding, still selling animals, and still contributing to overpopulation in shelters and tons of animals needing to be rehomed. A step in the right direction would be NOT selling animals at all.

[daftscotslass]

As far as I know the RSPCA do not police the shops, only respond to reports from members of the public. The onus is on the already overstretched local authorities to check out establishments. The law, like you said PM, merely states that the animals be fed, watered, kept in adequate accommodation and receive vet treatment if required.

I've never even heard of the Pet Care Trust and, to be honest, it seems that they can't even regulate the quality of those businesses that are members of their organisation - PetCare Trust - Pet shop standards

[cookie_gal]

Sorry I was only trying to help the situation, it was better than nothing. I have had emails before ignored. Everything starts with words.


In my mind, they will never stop the sale of animals but if they must sell them then I would at least like to see them separated.

[Percy's Mom]

I wasn't trying to say that you did the wrong thing. Bringing their faults to their attention is definitely good and needs to be done. I'm just saying that an email back without any visible ongoing action in concert means nothing.

As far as always selling animals, it's a supply and demand business. If people avoid the stores that sell animals and don't put anymore money in their pockets, there will be no demand, so they will stop ordering animals. As in any retail, they make far more money off of supplies and accessories anyway.

[cookie_gal]

Okay PM , I felt like what I had done was pointless but its not so thats fine!

I fully intend to keep up this contact anyway and pester them. I shall also be asking in my local store when they are implementing the local scheme too.

[zippysmom]

One pet store I was at had a octogon cage, wich was 4 square feet, with 12 guinea pigs in it! They had girls and boys. I asked how old they were and if it is possible that the girls could be pregnant, and they told me "It's not my problem! If you want a pig, just buy it and go."

[Fay]

Well this pet care trust thing is doing a crappy job if they think this is accured care of animals, doesn't sound very *caring* or *trustworth* to me. Someone should contact them.