Pet Stores Petland Employee

[CavyMama]

I will look on their papers. I may not be able to provide names for you because of confidentially but perhaps I could do my own investigating.

I have never been told I can't let people know our breeders names

Wait...which is it? Either you've never been told you CAN'T let people know the names, or there's confidentiality.

 

[Paula]

I am not here to share my morals, or explain my beliefs to people.

I'd have an easier time believing this statement if you weren't here doing exactly that.

Like I said, nobody can fault a person for working, but there's no reason for you to twist and contort the truth to make your employer look better than it is. You can try to make it better, and I hope you succeed in that goal. I think you'll find it's a little different than the fantasy fairy tale you've been sold and seem to be choosing to believe about it.

 

[PancakesWaffles]

Cavymama- It's both. I have never been told I can't, but I assumed that we keep that stuff confidential. Nobody has asked me yet where our animals come from, so I am not 100% sure if I can or can't tell people names. Also, I said I would look on the papers but "may not" be able to provide names. Meaning, I would look on the papers and I would also find out if I can or can't give out names. I've had two shifts there, I don't know everything there is to know yet.

Paula- I was not pushing my beliefs or morals because I am not even 100% on them, which I stated earlier. I just wanted to post a few things that I found out on my first day that I did not know. I thought maybe there were others here that didn't know, and would appreciate knowing.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

To Quote: Click the quote button on the bottom of the post you want to reply to and delete everything you don't need.

To Multi-quote: Click the MQ button on each post you want to quote and click quote on the last one. Remove any part you don't need to reply to.

Please learn how to use these features as all that bold is too much.

 

[blackarrow]

I have no idea how to quote in a reply, so I will just do it my way.

"It will do little or nothing to stop the spread of disease or illness for dogs to stay in a kennel right next to the other dogs in the kennel" -Posted by blackarrow

Are you saying that illness and diseases aren't spread in a shelter/rescue/SPCA?

No, I wasn't saying anything at all about shelters, rescues or the SPCA. Of course diseases come into shelters, rescues and the SPCA. They are the place of last resort for many sick animals. They don't go breeding more to get them.

Also, I am so sorry that they are trying to prevent people from getting pregnant pets, and trying to add incentive for people to spay/neuter their animal. They must be terrible.

You haven't convinced me that they are doing either of those things. Do they guarantee the sex of their animals? I'm betting not. Do they guarantee the animals are not pregnant? I'm betting not. And the best incentive for people to get a spayed/neutered animal is to only let animals go after they are spayed/neutered. As it is, as I already mentioned, the buyers have a powerful incentive to try to recoup the grossly overpriced amount they've paid for their poor quality animals by breeding a litter or five. Your $50 deposit doesn't even cover the cost of most s/ns.

"There is no such thing as a 100% adoption rate. Shuffling the animals from store to store spreads disease and means more stress for the animal, and it means that if one store actually is screening their applicants and turning down inappropriate purchasers, pretty soon, the animal will make its way to a store which won't be careful." Posted by blackarrow

Better than them being shuffled to a shelter that will put them to sleep when they run out of room.

Oh, I don't know. I'd much prefer that an animal be PTS than sold to someone who will neglect or abuse it.

"It's nice that they're donating a bag of food a month per employee to a shelter. It doesn't even make a dent toward feeding the number of animals they're contributing to the shelter via impulse purchasers." posted by blackarrow

Better than nothing.

I'm so impressed.

"Yes, some of the petstore's actions may sound like a step in the right direction, but it seems like advertising to me. They want good impressions, they are encouraging everyone who adopted an animal to buy supplies from them, etc." posted by cavymaniac

They must have other motives.

I realize they support breeders, and are part of the over-population problem. But I also realize THIS STORE, I can't speak for all of them, are trying to do things to change that horrid pet store reputation.

You've hit on something important there without seeming to realize it. Yes, they're trying to change that horrid pet store reputation. Unfortunately they are doing little to nothing to change that horrid pet store reality.

 

[ingrid]

-They have a 100% adoption rate. Wait... what?! Yeah, if an animal does not sell in one store, it will be taken to another store, and then another, and then another until it is sold.

As was mentioned before, this is not an adoption. Selling your merchandise is the goal of a store, and that is all these animals are.

I would specifically like to speak to the point of them being shuffled from one store to the next. Why would you think this is a good thing? Imagine your life living in that glass tank. You just want a soft and warm place to sleep and someone to love you and care for you. You want to run! Jump! Play outside! A simple pleasure like a long leisurely walk is something your probably have never even experienced. You want to be in a home with someone petting you and cuddling you and LOVING YOU, not a TINY glass box. If you think about it, those cages are so small they are little more than a coffin for the amount of surface area they are on.

Now imagine that miserable life you are leading, and every few months you are transported to a new coffin. Who knows how they are transported, but many dogs are afraid of vehicles are get motion sickness. New people to abuse you and you don't even know why. Your miserable life continues until you are sold away to perhaps a new life! A life of additional abuse and neglect. And finally after a few years or months or weeks you are returned to a shelter, another cold hard box to spend the next few days or weeks until you meet your lonely death on a metal table with a needle an no one so much as kisses you goodbye.

You are a pathetic excuse for an animal lover. How could you be a member of this community and not realize this?

Also, keep telling people contradictory advice that the pet store recommends. Keep telling people to go home and make their cages instead of buying them from the store. Ask questions about the breeders. See how far you last. I hope you realize your mistake and see other employment. I can't imagine being so destitute to take a job at a pet store. I would rather flip burgers at mcdonalds or be a cashier at walmart.

 

[SFailed186]

P.S You wrote counties, not counties?

Haha, you are so funny... Not. It's sad that you have to scrounge around for SOMETHING to try and make yourself look better...

 

[Silverbeat]

- We have our own vet. that looks over the animals etc..

That's like saying that oil drilling companies have their own safety regulators. They do, and look where it's got us.

- If a cat or dog is sick (even if it's something small like a single runny poop), they cannot be "pulled" out of their kennel to stop the spread of disease and illness. EVEN if a guest requests to see the animal, you are unable to.. essentially losing a potential sale.

This makes no sense to me. A sick animal has to stay in its kennel next to a bunch of other, healthy animals in order to "stop the spread of disease". That's NOT quarantine, it's just stupid.

-All of the small animals, for example guinea pigs and ferrets are ALL females so that nobody takes home a pregnant pet. The other Petland in the city has all male small animals.

How do you know they aren't ALREADY pregnant when you get them? They probably weren't separated properly or soon enough if at all at the local BYB's place. Many small animals are pregnant before they even reach the pet store.

-They call a purchase an "adoption" so that they have the right to refuse. Today my boss refused to sell a sketchy man a hamster because he smelled of pot and told one of the employees he was going to use the hamster as food.

As blackarrow said, this is nowhere near a screening. I could get into this but I really have to refrain, suffice it to say, making a profit by stocking animals like merchandise, providing them with the minimum they need to survive and then calling it an "adoption" when you sell the animal for a grossly marked-up price is just disgusting.

-In two weeks I will be attending a "class" on parrots and birds. They hold these every two or three months on different animals. They want their counselors to be knowledgeable

Many pet stores do this. They're not educating you to tell people what's best for their animal. They're educating you on how to sell their products to the widest range of people possible.

-When purchasing a cat or a dog there is a $50 deposit on the spaying or neutering. If they get the animal fixed, they get the $50 back. If they do not get the animal spayed or neutered, the money goes to a local NO KILL shelter.

-You can donate X amount of money off of every check to the same shelter.

A pet store donating such a tiny amount of money to the shelter where many of their "fine products" end up is a HUGE insult.

-They have a 100% adoption rate. Wait... what?! Yeah, if an animal does not sell in one store, it will be taken to another store, and then another, and then another until it is sold.

As others have said, the animal will probably get stressed and ill from being turfed from store to store. And besides, it probably has to travel much further distances than just the next town over, because as you say, certain stores are all-male, and other ones are all-female.

 

[Oo wish oO]

Someone mentioned that they'd like to see a pet store that only has animals for adoption that were strays not from breeders, I have one in my town!! I live in West Chester, PA. There is a little pet supply store that always takes in a few stray cats or dogs at a time and they adopt them out. They have no pets for sale. The down side to the store is that all of the supplies are pricey but I'm happy that they are making their money off of selling supplies and not animals. They also sell a lot of organic pet stuff.

 

[crazywiggy]

Pancakes:

Please, try to visit these wonderful breeders (of both the dogs and cats and the small animals in person) and make up your own mind.

Make sure to check the following things:

1) How are the animals housed? In cages / kennels that meet minimum recommended guidelines for good welfare, or in tiny cages with wire floors? Do they all have appropriate bedding, nesting, enrichment, etc?

2) What is their standard of care (husbandry) like? How frequently are they cleaned out? How often are food bowls / water bottles etc cleaned? What food are they on?

3) Are they actually "cared for" as sentient creatures, or are they just "stock"? Do the animals have names? Are they handled every day?

4) How do the animals look? Do they appear to be in good health? Do they appear to be sane and happy, exhibiting normal behaviours?

5) Quality and quantity? Are the animals being massed produced? Are they being bred for quality - ie to improve the health / tempermant of the species or breed?

6) What health checks are done? Vet checks at regular intervals and before mating or sale? What about testing for hereditary disorders? Can they show you the original certificates?

I could go on but that's probably enough for now. The point is good breeders do NOT EVER sell to pet stores. The good, responsible breeders spend a vast amount of time, money, effort and love on thier animals. They care about ALL their animals - the breeders, the "retired" breeders - which are not killed! - and the offspring. As a result they insist on knowing their babies go to good homes, so they never sell through a third party.

Petland is a disgusting excuse for a store. They buy mass produced, badly bred, sick, mis-sexed / pregnant, animals from abusive sumbags. They keep these animals in unsuitable conditions (ie in the store) and they sell them to any idiot with some cash. (Unless they smell of pot apparently). Oh - and they DO give out incorrect and potentially dangerous info, in order to sell more of their crap and dangerous products. But hey lets face it - if their crap products KILL the animals they sold, the owner will just have to go back and buy a shiny new one.

 

[Sugar&Ellie]

I find it funny how everyone just repeats what everyone else has already said instead of just thanking someone who said everything they were about to say. I pretty much just read the same post like 40 times.

Anyways, I know you're trying to justify you're new job but, I still won't support pet stores...it's just not right what they do and support. Even if they say they 'do the right thing' when they're buying from breeders.. they're still buying from breeders so it makes no difference, really.

They're just trying to powder puff what they're doing, and their employee's being excited about their new job, buy all of it. I'm sorry but you haven't changed my mind.

 

[blackarrow]

I find it funny how everyone just repeats what everyone else has already said instead of just thanking someone who said everything they were about to say. I pretty much just read the same post like 40 times.

Anyways, I know you're trying to justify you're new job but, I still won't support pet stores...it's just not right what they do and support. Even if they say they 'do the right thing' when they're buying from breeders.. they're still buying from breeders so it makes no difference, really.

They're just trying to powder puff what they're doing, and their employee's being excited about their new job, buy all of it. I'm sorry but you haven't changed my mind.

That's ironic, coming from someone who's thanked a total of five posts ever, none of which were in this thread, particularly when your post doesn't exactly break new ground either.

 

[dmppiggies]

Dealing with a sick petsmart guinea pig now (because I only since learned that they could be adopted like cats/dogs--and totally pro adoption there). She has a very stubborn URI and she's also pregnant and two-is months old. I am horrified over what I've learned in such a short while about these conditions (and living with the consequences). Yes, my store paid for her initial vet bills, but she's still having issues, so I will now pay the price out of pocket again. She's a great little girl--so she's worth it--but I'll never buy nor allow someone I know to buy every again.

 

[Dav423]

Animal Planet is actually going to have a show investigating Petland. It comes on tonight at 10 pm. Here is a link that talks about it: Opposing Views: Not Pretty: Animal Planet Investigates Petland

PancakeWaffles... It doesn't matter how much good a pet store does when they do so much that's bad to begin with.Petland supports mills and neglects animals.Your store isn't the exception to the rule.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Off-topic Notice: Let's please get back to the original poster's topic! If you want to continue this off-topic discussion, please start a new thread.
Thank you.

Let's keep the discussion about Petland and the OP not about thanking posts or the lack thereof.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Better than them being shuffled to a shelter that will put them to sleep when they run out of room.

But isn't that what is happening to the bulk of the live animals you are selling?

What is your return policy?

You are deluded to think the backyard breeder supplying your pet store is any better than a breeding mill. It is likely cheaper for them to buy puppies locally. And how many kinds of puppies is she peddling?

Not only do reputable breeders not sell to pet shops but they don't breed more than one breed.

And you sell unfixed puppies, kittens and rabbits, etc. How many of those are going out into the world to produce their own offspring? And how many are ending up in shelters? I'm going to say the bulk of them.

Just like the bulk of their animals are from mills:

Consumer complaints about Petland
Petland: The HSUS Investigations : The Humane Society of the United States
(broken link removed)
YouTube - Petland Investigation: Pet Store Sells Puppy Mill Dogs
YouTube - Humane Society Says Petland Tied to Puppy Mills
The Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project: Where do Petland puppies really come from?
Tune in or set your DVR for: "Animal Planet Investigates: Petland"
(broken link removed)

 

[CavyMama]

Pancakes, please take the opportunity to sit down and watch the investigative piece about Petland on Animal Planet with an open mind. What they uncover is probably a bit different than the happy faceplate they showed you during your training.

 

[Feeorin215]

How can someone work for or buy anything from these people? I have done my research and it is HORRIBLE what they do to animals for money. This is so sad!! Petland, Petco and Petsmart are all the same. What is the difference?!

 

[blackarrow]

Petland, Petco and Petsmart are all the same. What is the difference?!

Petland is the only one of the three which routinely peddles puppies and kittens as well as small animals.

(Our local Petland encourages birthday parties there. Isn't that just swell for the animals, to be mauled by a pack of oversugared squealing eight year olds?)

 

[Katie_Kutthroat]

I'm very curious where these animals go when Petland makes a boo boo if not to the shelters, I remember helping at a rescue with dogs taken from the Petland that shut down at a local mall. Many had kennel cough, Upper respiratory infections, and a rainbow of other illnesses. So much for their excellent vet care. The Petland, as a whole company, have been in many legal battles about the condition there animals are kept in at the store and at the breeding mills.