Pet Stores Better way to report pet stores?

[Legume Family]

Yesterday I was in my local PetSmart getting dog food, and they had three young guinea pigs out for sale. A family with young children had asked to see them, so the sales associate had opened the cage and was letting them handle the pigs.

There was an Abyssian with something crusted on its nose, so I asked if I could look at the guinea pig. It has what looks like a severe URI -- crusted nostril, both nostrils full of snot. I told the sales associate that the animal had a URI, was probably infecting the other two piggies, and needed medical attention ASAP. She gave me this blank look and just agreed with me that the animal was sick.

Afterwards, I called the store and spoke with the general manager, who told me their clinic (Banfield, what a joke) looked over the animals daily and that they didn't keep sick animals on the floor. I repeated my findings and he said he would have the animal treated. Today I called and lodged a complaint with corporate, just in case.


Is there anything else I could have done in this situation? At what point can stores be reported for animal cruelty?

I know this store doesn't treat its animals well (was in a few years ago and they kept the "extra" guinea pigs in plastic filing cabinets with no food/water in the back of the store), and I feel like I may have just signed this pig's death warrant by reporting its illness. I doubt they will treat it and worry that its more likely that they will euthanize it. The one bright spot is that the family originally looking at the pigs didn't buy any after I said the one was sick...

 

[DroidGuineaPig]

I'm glad you were brave enough to call and complain. Unfortunately I'm not aware of much else you could do besides writing a letter or an email to Pet Smart (I wrote an Email.)