My Company Bought a Pet Store

[camende]

The company I work for in Illinois bought a pet store. I kept hearing rumors so I talked with someone at corporate and they gave me the scoop.

They bought a local pet store and are relocating it. In the process, they have bought into a national franchise. I think it is called Pet Supplies Plus. The person I talked to in corporate said that they would not be selling dogs and cats. I then asked about guinea pigs and other small animals and was basically told that she wasn't sure. But, they will be selling fish and reptiles so I am sure guinea pigs are included. Well, I gave quite a lecture on guinea pigs and rescues and the evils of breeders. I was told that someone far up in the company believes in animal rescue and that's why they won't be selling dogs and cats. I was given the name of someone to talk to at corporate. So, what I am asking is...where do I go to to get information that I can give to someone at corporate so that I can convince them NOT to sell guinea pigs....Also, are there any guinea pig rescues near Quincy IL that I can refer them to. I know Quincy has a Humane Society but I am not sure if they have guinea pigs.

Also...I suppose Rabbits and Ferret information would be good too!!

Thanks!!

~cindy

[Sopher7132]

I'm in Chicago, so hopefully I can help a little bit. Here are some rescues that I know of...

The Critter Corral is a very large guinea pig rescue, they're located in Steger, IL.
http://www.crittercorral.org/

The Red Door Animal Shelter, which is located in Chicago, they rescue several rabbits, cats, dogs, pretty much anything in need of a home.
http://www.reddoorshelter.org/

There is also the Humane Society of Central Illinois
http://www.hscipets.org/

Here is the West Suburban Humane Society. They are located in Downers Grove
http://www.wshs-dg.org/wshs/


I'm sure if you contact any of those they will be more than happy to give you information as to how to go about this.

[camende]

Thanks Sopher!

Quincy is 2 hours from me and Chicago is 4 in the other direction. I am looking for something closer to Quincy because thats where this new petstore is. I've only been in Illinois for a short time so I really don't know where places are (I really just need to get out more!!!)...But, I will check out these links and maybe they can give me some suggestions or point me to somewhere closer!!

Again...thanks so much!

~cindy

[jilovecavies]

This link http://www.cavyspirit.com/petstores.htm might help. Thanks for being an advocate for those who can only wheek!

[MCR_Rox]

Pet Supplies Plus is the same franchise that sells mange-infested guinea pigs around here. I have made a few posts about it on here a few months ago.

Well, you can say that sometimes brokers sell sick guinea pigs, and that they may be sick if they are from the same broker of the Pet Supplies Plus in Scranton, PA. You can also say that vet treatment is very expensive, and may bring down their profits. You should also give them the link to Guinea Lynx so they can read over it thoroughly ( not that they definitely will.) Do the people who are buying the pet store seem like they care about animals? You can also add that guinea pigs are over-populated, too, and should be rescued from rescues instead of bred. I believe there might be an over-population of rabbits, too. I'm not sure about ferrets or other animals.

[kathrynj]

Also that people who believe in rescues, and believe that animals do not belong in stores, go out of their way to find supply only stores to buy all their animals' needs.

And ones that don't, don't really care where they buy from, so they won't loose out there either.

[camende]

I do know this is a new venture for my company. This is the first pet store they will own. So, they are probably open for suggestions. The are primarily a grocery store. They aquired the grocery/pharmacy combo store that I worked for last September. They had no experience with pharmacies up until that point. They decided to add a pharmacy to their number 1 grocery store. That pharmacy is mine. We opened in April. But, the point I am making is that because they didn't have real knowlege of pharmacy, I was involved in the planning from designing the pharmacy to ordering to making store policy. So...If they allowed me that freedom, I would hope that they allow that same freedom to who ever is in charge of the pet store....I'm going to have to blitz her with information!!

I'd like to find a rescue that is closer to the petstore...St Louis might be the closest.

[John4216]

You can also contact these folks if you wish. They seem to be very helpful and nice:

Welcome to API - The Animal Protection Institute