Getting a job at a pet store?

[Guineapigluver2]

Hi I was thinking about getting my first job soonish (mainly to make sure I can support my guinea pigs) and I was thinking about a pet store near my house. I have my mind compleatly set on becomming a vet (possibly for small animals and or dogs) when I am older and I would love to start with somthing that involves animals. This petstore is not my favorite at all, they sell puppies, guinea pigs, ferrets, hamsters, rats, mice, rabbits, fish and somtimes kittens. Is it bad to work there? I don't buy anything there anymore since I learned here how animals end up in pet stores (thanks for that by the way) but is it supporting it to work there? I was thinking that mabey I could help care for the animals or somthing. I don't know if I will even be able to get a job there but what do you think? The thing that I really hate about the pet store though is that above the guinea pig cage there is a sign that says guinea pigs are wonderful pets for all ages and have verry wide vocabularies and that they are easy to take care of and I think it also says that they make a great first time pet or somthing. If I got a job there do you think I would be able to help educate people about guinea pigs or would that get me fired (I would hate to promote exercize balls, leashes, pet store cages etc.). This is not a chain I think even though there are 2 in my area, no it is not pet co or pet dumb. I just thought that I would ask here before I got really seriouse about finding a job there.

[TwoOfaKind]

My personal opinion is - ditch the petstore idea, and look for kennel attendent positions or vet assistant jobs for local vet offices or rescues. I have done both - and loved both jobs. Considering that you want to get into the feild, these jobs would be a great foot in the door

[Ly&Pigs]

You will be supporting the store by working there whether you buy anything or not. You will be forced to sell whatever the customers want to buy no matter if it's appropriate or not. I'd look for a different job than one in a petstore.

[Guineapigluver2]

I might have to wait a little while to work in a vet office because I'm really not old enough for that yet and my local shelter says that you have to be 18 to volenteer there so I will probably just wait. Thanks for the help.

[Slave to the Rose]

I worked at petsmart for a year. I might go back. I just had a bad manager. The best thing you can do is steer people away from bad things as much as possible. I helped people get better guinea pig stuff along with the best of everything for their pet. Its not the best place to work but it shouldn't be totally out of the question.

[DaCourt]

Actually, it should be out of the questions. By working there, you are saying you are ok with what they do. I would never compromise my beliefs.

[cookie_gal]

However you do need a lot of experience with working with animals to be a vet, in a variety or settings - pet shops, vets, kennels, farms etc. If its what you really want you need to overcome certain feelings, i.e. part of vet training will involve visits to abbatoirs etc.

Try anything and anywhere and if you choose a pet shop try to find one you feel reasonably comfy in, I personally despise one's that sell puppies with a total and utter passion. As poster above said you can try to steer customers away from bad stuff like piggy balls and alert them to sites like this or guinealynx etc.

Good luck with gaining your experience to become a vet.

[DaisyGP]

Originally Posted by Slave to the Rose

I worked at petsmart for a year. I might go back. I just had a bad manager. The best thing you can do is steer people away from bad things as much as possible. I helped people get better guinea pig stuff along with the best of everything for their pet. Its not the best place to work but it shouldn't be totally out of the question.

If you work at a store that sells inhumane products for animals( like guniea pig plastic exercise balls), or sells animals inhumanely (like the ones that come from mills or bybs) you will HAVE TO promote selling those animals/products that way. Don't think you can work there and spread the truth from the inside, that will get you either fired or in trouble. Been there done that. You can't work at a store and promote products/animal selling practices/or ideas that go against the stores polices/practices.

By working there you will be made to sell all their products, tell customers exactly what the sign above the guniea pigs cage says, exactly how they want to to. It doesn't matter if it goes against your morals or beliefs. That's how buisness works. You work there you promote their buisness. You work there and tell customers anything against their practices and you get fired.

My advice, if you're too young to volenteer at a shelter or work in a vet clinic, than walk dogs in your neighbor, baby sit, or watch people's houses while they are on vacation. It's honest money. It's more flexible and you can work it easiler around your studies than you can working for a pet store.

With the holidays and new years coming there should be tons of people that need someone to watch their kids for new years eve, walk their dogs while they go christmass shopping, and take feed their cat while they are traveling to see their families.

[Guineapigluver2]

I do pet sit and baby sit but the problem is jobs are pretty spred apart and most of the pet sittting is at the end of the year. There is a pet store that I love, it doesnt sell animals but it does sell pet store cages which is bad but they sell oxbow food and hay so thats a start. The big problem is that I would have no way to get there because its far away from where I live. I wouldn't want to work somewhere where I would have to sell products that are bad for guinea pigs and products that are bad for other small animals too (leashes for hamsters, treats etc) and not to mention the puppies which I am almost positive come from bybs.

[LonePig]

I would check with local vets in the area, if you're really serious about animals. They may be willing to give you a part time job. I had a job at a vet's office when I was in high school and it was the most informative job you can imagine.

I had various duties, from cleaning kennels, weighing animals, preparing slides, I learned how to identify common parasites under the microscope, how to prepare blood samples, draw vaccines and use the testing equipment. I even observed a surgery now and then.

It could give you a great inside view of the field, and you would learn a lot.

Now on the other hand, I also worked at a pet store as a teenager, I wouldn't recommend that job, it doesn't give a good feeling. On one hand you are able to care for the animals while you are there working, but I tended to worry about them when I was not. You might see things that aren't so nice either, like freezer's full of dead animals, waiting to be returned for a refund. Yes that's true, sad but true. Out of all the job's I've held with animals, working at the pet store didn't give me a good feeling. And of course there is the fact that you are working for someone supporting the selling and breeding of animals.

I've also worked at a dog grooming/training facility, this was also a very interesting position, duties would probably include, bathing, brushing out, cleaning cages, I learned a lot about canine behavior and training methods and it was an amazing experience.

Or how about the local ASPCA, Humane Society, or Shelter?

So these are some options for you, and my personal experiences with each, I hope this gives you a better idea.

[Biscuit]

If I was going to sell my soul, I'd do it for a whole lot more than what pet stores pay.

[petz-r-life]

I would not work there. I am considering either working at the petstore near me (it is family owned and doesn't sell any animals except goldfish and their policy is the inch of fish per gallon rule) or my dog's vet. It is right across the street and I could walk the dogs in boarding. (: Sorry for stealing that.

[gpigluver14]

I wouldn't work there. You're supporting it either way. Don't you have any shelters/rescues or even a vet not too far away you could work at?

I'm hoping to volunteer at my local SPCA over this next summer, but I just looked at the website and they don't need anymore, currently....

[DaisyGP]

Originally Posted by Guineapigluver2

I do pet sit and baby sit but the problem is jobs are pretty spred apart and most of the pet sittting is at the end of the year. There is a pet store that I love, it doesnt sell animals but it does sell pet store cages which is bad but they sell oxbow food and hay so thats a start. The big problem is that I would have no way to get there because its far away from where I live. I wouldn't want to work somewhere where I would have to sell products that are bad for guinea pigs and products that are bad for other small animals too (leashes for hamsters, treats etc) and not to mention the puppies which I am almost positive come from bybs.

If all the pet stores around you are promoting back animal care practices, and the side jobs aren't bringing in buisness, and shelters/vets say you're too young than maybe you'll have to find a job that doesn't involve animals. There are always retail jobs. You could work for a grocery store.

[DaisyGP]

Sorry about that. My stupid browser froze and it wouldn't tell me if the message went through or not.