Pet Stores I saw some nice things at Petco

[piggiepigpigs75]

Yesterday, i needed to get some pig food so I went to PetCo. When I walked into the small pet sections, one of the workers was taking out a couple sick rats. when I asked her why, she said that the rats had bald patches that could be lice. She had also just cleaned the cage(thank god!) i was pretty happy!

 

[SqueakyPig]

That sounds good. I still wouldn't trust pet stores though -- even though how good some of the employees are.

 

[piggiepigpigs75]

That sounds good. I still wouldn't trust pet stores though -- even though how good some of the employees are.

I would never buy my animals from that store.. or any others

 

[SqueakyPig]

Yes, of course. Some of the workers there do have knowledge on pets, though a majority don't.

 

[piggiepigpigs75]

Yes, of course. Some of the workers there do have knowledge on pets, though a majority don't.

The worker also snuck some of the pigs an orange- they seemed to enjoy that

 

[SqueakyPig]

Well, that's a change! It does sound like she cares for the animals.

 

[pinky]

The question is,what happened to the rats after they were removed? I don't think this is anything I'd be happy about. In fact, I think it's a good example of what's being offered for sale at stores like Petco and Petsmart. If that cage wasn't sanitized properly, chances are the next rats that go in there will catch whatever the others had. I think it's really sad.

 

[ThePigSlave]

I am not trying to be rude, but those rats she removed were most likely not going to the back of the store for treatment. I am not saying it was the woman's fault, but the store policies probably require her to dispose of them. While it is a step in the right direction with the orange thing, it is still not acceptable. Never trust a pet store.

 

[mufasa]

This actually depresses me more than it makes me think good things about them. The workers shouldn't have to sneak fruit or veggies to the pigs. It should be part of their diet. And the rats wouldn't be unhealthy if they didn't come from a horrific breeding mill in the first place. I can only hope that Petco is like the ones here, where they do actually take sick animals to the vet (I know because they use my pig vet).

 

[SqueakyPig]

I still wouldn't trust PetCo @piggiepigpigs75 . I forgot to add in my previous posts: what would've happened to the rats after? I'm going to leave this topic though because the thought of pet stores make me upset.

 

[Boogle]

Man i wish people didn't judge a whole chain based on one store.
really a store is only as good as its employees are, i don't know why people fail to see this.

ANYWAY the whole "if you buy pig food at this store, they will still sell pigs" is false. Maybe the posters are just young here but thats not how retail works. pet sales and product sales are two completely different categories.


I'm not sure about Petco's policy but the store i work for (yes, i work at a pet store) take our animals to the vet (and even the emergency vet if its a weekend) if they are sick. We don't just take them once either, we do follow ups as well. we check on the animals multiple times a day and keep a log of their symptoms and how they are progressing with their treatment.
I've never had to sneak fresh fruits and veggies either, this is something that was always encouraged by management.


I understand where animals come from in pet stores and it is sad. My store no longer carries small animals and birds (cause people stopped buying animals, we just sell food now. see how that works?) but whenever someone is looking for a new pet i always try to recommend them considering adoption first.
Anyway, I understand why you guys don't like pet stores.

What i don't understand is how you guys talk about the employees and tell others to never trust anything a pet store employee says...

really what you should be saying is never fully trust what anyone says unless they are a licensed veterinarian who specializes in your animal.
Cause really I've seen posts on here where people have had to clear up things that users have said because they gave out false information.




Man, there's just a lot of hate in here. I was actually a bit reluctant to join this forum because even though i really wanted to give a pig a loving home and wanted to brush up on pig knowledge, you guys seemed really unwelcoming and i felt like i would be shunned because of where i worked.

Meh, just something to point out. instead of bashing pet store employees, maybe you guys should try to give them a chance and educate them. You'd be surprised how many would appreciate it.
I know my co-workers are always excited when we learn something new and always try to spread the word.

 

[scruffytufty]

its a step in the right direction, animals get sick in any circumstances, my gingey has just had mites, im not sure how, it happens, even from rescues, and the woman at least cleaned the cages and such she has in her mind done the decent thing, she isnt gonna stop working there, a jobs a job and it appears she takes it seriously, i would have mentioned this to her manager how positive she is

 

[piggiepigpigs75]

Man i wish people didn't judge a whole chain based on one store.
really a store is only as good as its employees are, i don't know why people fail to see this.

ANYWAY the whole "if you buy pig food at this store, they will still sell pigs" is false. Maybe the posters are just young here but thats not how retail works. pet sales and product sales are two completely different categories.

my local petco does that. they use local chains and

I'm not sure about Petco's policy but the store i work for (yes, i work at a pet store) take our animals to the vet (and even the emergency vet if its a weekend) if they are sick. We don't just take them once either, we do follow ups as well. we check on the animals multiple times a day and keep a log of their symptoms and how they are progressing with their treatment.
I've never had to sneak fresh fruits and veggies either, this is something that was always encouraged by management.


I understand where animals come from in pet stores and it is sad. My store no longer carries small animals and birds (cause people stopped buying animals, we just sell food now. see how that works?) but whenever someone is looking for a new pet i always try to recommend them considering adoption first.
Anyway, I understand why you guys don't like pet stores.

What i don't understand is how you guys talk about the employees and tell others to never trust anything a pet store employee says...

really what you should be saying is never fully trust what anyone says unless they are a licensed veterinarian who specializes in your animal.
Cause really I've seen posts on here where people have had to clear up things that users have said because they gave out false information.




Man, there's just a lot of hate in here. I was actually a bit reluctant to join this forum because even though i really wanted to give a pig a loving home and wanted to brush up on pig knowledge, you guys seemed really unwelcoming and i felt like i would be shunned because of where i worked.

Meh, just something to point out. instead of bashing pet store employees, maybe you guys should try to give them a chance and educate them. You'd be surprised how many would appreciate it.
I know my co-workers are always excited when we learn something new and always try to spread the word.

 

[MrWhistles]

Man i wish people didn't judge a whole chain based on one store.
really a store is only as good as its employees are, i don't know why people fail to see this.

ANYWAY the whole "if you buy pig food at this store, they will still sell pigs" is false. Maybe the posters are just young here but thats not how retail works. pet sales and product sales are two completely different categories.


I'm not sure about Petco's policy but the store i work for (yes, i work at a pet store) take our animals to the vet (and even the emergency vet if its a weekend) if they are sick. We don't just take them once either, we do follow ups as well. we check on the animals multiple times a day and keep a log of their symptoms and how they are progressing with their treatment.
I've never had to sneak fresh fruits and veggies either, this is something that was always encouraged by management.


I understand where animals come from in pet stores and it is sad. My store no longer carries small animals and birds (cause people stopped buying animals, we just sell food now. see how that works?) but whenever someone is looking for a new pet i always try to recommend them considering adoption first.
Anyway, I understand why you guys don't like pet stores.

What i don't understand is how you guys talk about the employees and tell others to never trust anything a pet store employee says...

really what you should be saying is never fully trust what anyone says unless they are a licensed veterinarian who specializes in your animal.
Cause really I've seen posts on here where people have had to clear up things that users have said because they gave out false information.




Man, there's just a lot of hate in here. I was actually a bit reluctant to join this forum because even though i really wanted to give a pig a loving home and wanted to brush up on pig knowledge, you guys seemed really unwelcoming and i felt like i would be shunned because of where i worked.

Meh, just something to point out. instead of bashing pet store employees, maybe you guys should try to give them a chance and educate them. You'd be surprised how many would appreciate it.
I know my co-workers are always excited when we learn something new and always try to spread the word.

Erm.
No one is judging based on ONE store. The WHOLE chain does it. Several people who have worked for the stores in several different areas all over the US will tell you what they actually do. This is not the case of 1 bad apple ruins it for everyone. It's the case of the whole orchard being infested. And because the whole chain refuses to stop selling small animals, we won't ever trust them. They are well aware of the conditions where the animals come from. And even if they didn't, the pet store is just another piece that is supporting the horrible conditions. And why help to support that?

I worked for PetsMart, I left because of how they treat their animals and their refusal to change how they treat them.

 

[MrWhistles]

BTW: Where did you get this:

ANYWAY the whole "if you buy pig food at this store, they will still sell pigs" is false. Maybe the posters are just young here but thats not how retail works. pet sales and product sales are two completely different categories.

In this thread. Last I checked(bare with me, haven't been too active) the users here are WELL aware that live small pet purchases means more pets being bred/purchased from horrid conditions. NOT what you stated. I haven't seen anyone here post that.(remember, I haven't been as active as I used to be)

 

[SophieBunny]

What i don't understand is how you guys talk about the employees and tell others to never trust anything a pet store employee says...

really what you should be saying is never fully trust what anyone says unless they are a licensed veterinarian who specializes in your animal.
Cause really I've seen posts on here where people have had to clear up things that users have said because they gave out false information.


Man, there's just a lot of hate in here. I was actually a bit reluctant to join this forum because even though i really wanted to give a pig a loving home and wanted to brush up on pig knowledge, you guys seemed really unwelcoming and i felt like i would be shunned because of where i worked.

I trust the advice of a lot of people on here, because they haven't had textbook training, they've had real life experience dealing with pigs and they really know what they are talking about. Not everyone, but many people.

No one here would ever have shunned you for where you work. Your pet store doesn't sell animals, that's what we are working towards, and that's great!
Many people on here have worked in pet stores that are so much worse that yours. You, on the other hand, know about proper pig care.

But, I'm not saying that all pet stores and all pet store employees are bad. The truth is exactly the opposite. There are exceptions, many of them.

 

[ClemmyOddieIndy]

I worked for PetsMart, I left because of how they treat their animals and their refusal to change how they treat them.

What didn't you like about PetSmart's animal policy? Company policy is very straightforward about animal treatment. Employees must get medical attention for any sick animals, and no animal is to be euthanized unless they are unsaveable, these are in a contract you sign. We have a clinic in our store, so it makes it very easy to get treatment for animals. Maybe, it has changed as I have only worked there a year and half. I do want to say I do not support the selling of small mammals, and my first pig was a pet store pig 4 years ago. Since that time my two other girls came from CL and a rescue. I work there because I needed a part time job, my coworkers are amazing (they really are passionate about the animals we have), and I wanted to be on the front lines of properly educating new guinea pig owners. We (I live in the US, so when I say this I am talking about the US) live in an instant gratification society, and if a person has an impulse to buy a guinea pig more than likely they will buy that pig from a pet store no matter what. Being a person who is passionate about pigs I have been able to educate my coworkers (most already knew the important information, and even recommend C&C cages) and many new pig owners. I encourage them to visit this site and GL to learn more about their new pet. I encourage those who come in to "just look" to consider adoption. And, I try to talk to people realistically about the health problems pigs face that they need to prepare for financially. My managers have always been supportive of my education of coworkers and new/future guinea pig moms and dads.

Now, PetCo... lets just say, more than one of my former coworkers (those who may not have left voluntarily) are working at our local PetCos. I have not been in a PetCo since my first pig (who I purchased at PetCo) nearly died 3 days after I brought her home from a wicked URI.

ETA: I do choose to support local stores that do not sell live animals for my pet supply purchases, except my betta foods (high quality foods Omega One and New Life Spectrum) which none of the fish stores seem to carry. They only care lower quality foods like Tetra or Wardleys.

 

[MrWhistles]

The clinic maybe there, but their vets are uneducated and certainly not rodent or bird savy. I even recommended my cavy savy vet and they bluntly declined. I wasn't an animal care employee, a cashier. But I witnessed 1st hand quite a few of the animals left to slowly suffer to the conditions. Atleast 3 hamsters with "wet tail", left untreated and they died within the week. Guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, rats and mice all at one point contracted URI and then left to suffer with it. There was 1 time when I pointed out to one of my fellow animal care employees that 1 guinea pig was showing symptoms of mites, she said "I'll get to it when I can". Less than a week later the whole supply of rodents were suffering from mites.

Now onto the treatments for sicknesses; the treatments I saw did more harm than good. The animals were given medication that was "kitten/puppy strength". The ones with URI died while being treated. And for the mites, they used kitten flea control, a whole tube, and they died because they were able to reach the application area/attempted to groom it off.

 

[ClemmyOddieIndy]

The clinic maybe there, but their vets are uneducated and certainly not rodent or bird savy. I even recommended my cavy savy vet and they bluntly declined. I wasn't an animal care employee, a cashier. But I witnessed 1st hand quite a few of the animals left to slowly suffer to the conditions. Atleast 3 hamsters with "wet tail", left untreated and they died within the week. Guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, rats and mice all at one point contracted URI and then left to suffer with it. There was 1 time when I pointed out to one of my fellow animal care employees that 1 guinea pig was showing symptoms of mites, she said "I'll get to it when I can". Less than a week later the whole supply of rodents were suffering from mites.

Now onto the treatments for sicknesses; the treatments I saw did more harm than good. The animals were given medication that was "kitten/puppy strength". The ones with URI died while being treated. And for the mites, they used kitten flea control, a whole tube, and they died because they were able to reach the application area/attempted to groom it off.

Wow. I am so happy to have not had to experience that. Our pet care people are spectacular (I'm a cashier as well). Our vets are not the best (they are not the vets I go to for my pigs), but they are not necessarily bad. They do treat them with proper medication, and have a pretty good success rate with treatment. I know we've had some that were really ill (like completely lifeless) that came in they were able to save. I have even witnessed people in pet care break down crying when ones they have fought to save have passed away.

 

[oldnewie]

In our town we used to have 3 petstores, 1 of which only sold accessories & supplies & is SPCA-affiliated. 1 store closed down, but the staff there were all experienced & knew their stuff, a few if them now in the other stores. 1 specialises in fish & birds, both only have a few animals at a time. All the animals, fish & birds are well looked after, housed in spacious cages which are kept clean with food & water, lots of bedding & hideys provided. Both stores have vets next door, & one is an 'exotic pets' vet who treats small animals like piggies, rats, mice,etc.
All that aside, does anyone know what would happen to the animals if noone ever took them in? Would the breeders be stopped? It's a genuine question, I don't support factory/mill/mass breeders.