Petstore Horrors!!

[John4216]

The truth about Petstores is graphically revealed:

Little Shops of Sorrows: API's Pet Shop Campaign and Undercover Investigation

I would recommend reading the entire report as it goes into more detail about the pets, and graphically talks about some GP's they found in one store. It is heart breaking and horrific.

[CavySpirit]

We'll be providing direct links to the publications. Thanks.

[MCR_Rox]

I've seen that. They list the laws of each state concerning pet stores .

[Bear Bear]

Very disturbing to read and the photos are very hard to look at.

Things like this make me think I haven't done enough to help.

[John4216]

It is sad. And when you look at the laws they have compared to some other states and this is still going on, in blatant contempt for the laws, it really makes you wonder what goes on in places that have even less pet store laws.

It makes me think of something I often tell clients. You can often tell a person's character not by what they say but what they do. The same applies to Petstores.

[KjerstiMoo]

Aren't there laws regulating pet stores?
I can honestly say I've never seen anything like that here in Norway. Granted, not all pet stores here are up to standards either, but I would so love to show you photos of "my" pet store where I get my piggie supplies to show how it could be. They have large enclosures for the animals, protected by thick glass on the side facing the customers (less disturbing for the animals), and well ventilated in the back ("swiss cheese" plates). It's always clean and the animals get proper food.
And the best part is that they have several brands of piggie food, great hay and so on. I was honestly so excited the first time I visited (naturally, the day they opened!), I was bouncing around afterwards because it seemed to be the perfect pet store.
So obviously, it CAN be done to run a pet store properly. I mean, I know we don't approve of pet stores in general, and seeing those photos makes me realize what you're all talking about (seeing I've never seen anything remotely resembling that one here in Norway), but I wanted to tell you there are pet stores that have a greater focus on providing you with the proper food and supplies for your animals than selling animals. But then again, I've never seen another pet store like "mine" either...

[Chocolate Cavy]

Originally Posted by KjerstiMoo

Aren't there laws regulating pet stores?
I can honestly say I've never seen anything like that here in Norway. Granted, not all pet stores here are up to standards either, but I would so love to show you photos of "my" pet store where I get my piggie supplies to show how it could be. They have large enclosures for the animals, protected by thick glass on the side facing the customers (less disturbing for the animals), and well ventilated in the back ("swiss cheese" plates). It's always clean and the animals get proper food.
And the best part is that they have several brands of piggie food, great hay and so on. I was honestly so excited the first time I visited (naturally, the day they opened!), I was bouncing around afterwards because it seemed to be the perfect pet store.
So obviously, it CAN be done to run a pet store properly. I mean, I know we don't approve of pet stores in general, and seeing those photos makes me realize what you're all talking about (seeing I've never seen anything remotely resembling that one here in Norway), but I wanted to tell you there are pet stores that have a greater focus on providing you with the proper food and supplies for your animals than selling animals. But then again, I've never seen another pet store like "mine" either...

Pet Stores can't be run properly unless they don't sell any animals at all.

[John4216]

Originally Posted by KjerstiMoo

Aren't there laws regulating pet stores? ...

If you read the report you will see that there are some laws in that state and in spite of those laws this happens. Basically they are just ignoring the laws and doing what they want.

It is a great demonstration of the mindset they possess. They care nothing about the suffering they inflict or about anything other than their profit. Rather than treat the animals properly (which would cost money) they allow them to suffer.

To me ALL petstores have issues because the bottom line is about profit and not the animals. The sell them to anyone who wants them regardless of how they may be treated and this supports breeding of the animals.

And most states have little to nothing in the way of laws regarding petstores. (I call them Petsores myself).

[MCR_Rox]

It's really, really hard to get the law enforced on guinea pigs. Often, Humane Societies that investigate bring a cat/dog vet, and not an exotic vet. It's a really bad struggle for animals. Plus, many people do not know when they see sick animals being sold, and buy one.

[MCR_Rox]

I think this page is very important to read:
Get The Facts - What’s Really in Pet Food


Just a little bit of what you can read from that page:

Because of persistent rumors that rendered by-products contain dead dogs and cats, the FDA conducted a study looking for pentobarbital, the most common euthanasia drug, in pet foods. They found it. Ingredients that were most commonly associated with the presence of pentobarbital were meat-and-bone-meal and animal fat. However, they also used very sensitive tests to look for canine and feline DNA, which were not found. Industry insiders admit that rendered pets and roadkill were used in pet food some years ago. Although there are still no laws or regulations against it, the practice is uncommon today, and pet food companies universally deny that their products contain any such materials. However, so-called “4D” animals (dead, dying, diseased, disabled) were only recently banned for human consumption and are still legitimate ingredients for pet food.

There’s a unique, pungent odor to a new bag of dry pet food — what is the source of that smell? It is most often rendered animal fat, or vegetable fats and oils deemed inedible for humans. For example, used restaurant grease was rendered and routed to pet foods for several years, but a more lucrative market is now in biodiesel fuel production.