Pet Shops ?

[twiams]

Okay so most people are probably just going to roll there eyes at me for this or just think I'm stupid but never mind i'd like to get this of my chest and hopefully suggest a better way forward,

Almost daily theres someone complaining about 'Pets at home' and sometimes other shops too :x blaming them for many things, now i'm not trying to target these people or try and make them feel bad in anyway although i'm sure it will come across that way, but it's getting a little frustrating when people say 'i didn't say anything' and put it down to being too angry or something along those lines,

Without sounding horrid, what is the point in posting it here on the forum other than to have other people all just agree and completely rant about the store and guilt trip anyone who shops there (it's they're choice)

I'm sure most people have realised the store will most likely shrug you off and ignore you, however the best people to contact is your council, or local authorities.

Anyways, after getting in contact with my local authorities about a pet store (not pets at home, the ark), i was in a bit of a discussion with an investigator, about how pet shops get away with certain things and who decides on what goes.
Basically one person saying something will have no effect. They can't answer everyones little complaint they need a few people to mention it.
A petition is a difficult path when targeting a large store such as pets at home as they can take you to a legal battle which I'm sure no one wants.
What authorities need is a large number of people to step forward and bombard them with sense to the proper care of animals and some evidence for them to 'get they're teeth into' pictures of conditions backed by evidence is required, the photos MUST be dated and recorded.

So why not use the forum with a large enough number of people to say something instead of just complain about them and do nothing about it ?

I was directed to these guys who issue the whole regulations for local authorities with regards to selling animals and other things.

http://www.petcare.org.uk/

Although i feel they'd quite happily ignore a group of people no matter how large unless the whole country joined in rolleyes

But basically if you have a problem with a local pet store instead of just saying so, tell someone about it, by going on to your city website you should be able to become directed to the animal section, they're should be an email address or if you wish a phone number for you to get in contact with, this can sometimes be a long process before anything happens but anyways, then tell people on the forum and get everyone to send emails to that local authority expressing concern this can be for anything but nothing silly I'm sure you can use your common sense for that, but things that are required by law, then even if they don't have a licence removed, they should at least get a visit which will kick them back into shape then you just monitor it.

For example, you go into a pet shop, there isn't any water available to the animals, photograph, contact authorities, tell a few other people (not alot, just enough to be that many people that went into the shop if that makes sense ? ) they should investigate, you then get told it's been corrected and you go back and if you see it again take another picture and bug them again and again.

This way we can make a difference even if it's just the quality of the pets life in store.
I know many people wish there was not pets in stores at all but thats a big thing that not everyone agree's with, its best to start of small and just help the animals as thats what we all want, start making little steps ....

thank you for reading x>>

yeah i clearly have alot of time on my hands to have written this but i hope it makes sense and that people will happily join in and start making a difference. may the commenting commence !

 

[Claire W]

I fully agree with you

I also want to hold my hands up and say that I brought my Eliza from pets at home. This was before I new so many rescues existed and my other three girls are all rescues but I do not regret my decision to buy Eliza when I did. She was a companion for Connie (rip) and without Connie (who we rescued from a friend who's children had lost interest) and Eliza, I wouldn't have been introduced to the wonderful world of guinea pigs.

 

[twiams]

I personally see nothing wrong with shop bought piggies, i have two myself, i don't regret them at all, i just wish people wouldn't put a downer on anything pet shop related if that makes sense ? and if they want to complain about something, complain and try to make a difference about it.

 

[Amysmom]

We have also had petshop guinea pigs. Snowball was a very special piggy and without us having him I dread to think where he might have ended up. He was an Alpacca so was high maintenance. He suffered with very dry ears-they had to be cleaned out regularly. He also had to be bathed and trimmed regularly-chances are someone might have neglected him because we weren't told what high maintenance he was, they didn't even say he would need grooming.

Same with Millie-she was very underweight and we were told she was Abbysinion, I've already trimmed her three times and she's still a baby. So she could have ended up god knows where. An inexperienced owner wouldn't have known she was so underweight either.

I agree with everything Twiams has said.

 

[Piggie Life]

I think the whole point of not buying animals from Pets at Home as really they think of an animal as money. That's why they have them mass bred in warehouses and sent off to be sold. Whereas rescues think of the animal as an animal to care and make sure is looked after properly. I bought my two before knowing much about rescues from a breeder but I don't regret it in the slightest, they are lovely pigs! I'm lucky in my local Pets at Home seems to be pretty good and I've never noticed a problem with any of the animals and they all have food and seem quite happy. I don't really have much of an opinion really but I can understand why people would not want to support P@H.

 

[Lilly]

I quite agree. I often tell people when they are ranting to me about something or other they should be taking their complaint to someone who might actually be able to do something about it. I've had some wonderful successes by meeting face-to-face with my MP and my local council person with my complaints. Even if they themselves cannot deal with the problem they are always able to direct me to who can.

 

[twiams]

I quite agree. I often tell people when they are ranting to me about something or other they should be taking their complaint to someone who might actually be able to do something about it. I've had some wonderful successes by meeting face-to-face with my MP and my local council person with my complaints. Even if they themselves cannot deal with the problem they are always able to direct me to who can.

Personally i feel some people say things just to get a reaction and make a thread and start conversation and don't really do anything about it :x
I think if this was set as a general rule for everyone it would be much better and at least the forum would be of good use 8)

 

[daftscotslass]

Often people post on the forum not knowing if or how they should go about doing anything when they find themselves in a situation regarding a pet shop. A forum is a place for discussion, so if people want to discuss the welfare of animals in their local pet shop when a million other members have done the same in the past, why shouldn't they? Yes, it leads to a lot of repeated discussion and information but at least people are getting it rather than having to trawl reams of threads and giving up because they can't find the information they need.

As we say repeatedly, this is a rescue orientated forum. Pet shops don't get their animals from rescue. Yes, some people don't know better in which case it's important to gently give them the facts. I would go as far as to say most members here have been in that boat some point. People need to rant sometimes and that's what the forum is here for, to get like-minded support.

 

[twiams]

Often people post on the forum not knowing if or how they should go about doing anything when they find themselves in a situation regarding a pet shop. A forum is a place for discussion, so if people want to discuss the welfare of animals in their local pet shop when a million other members have done the same in the past, why shouldn't they? Yes, it leads to a lot of repeated discussion and information but at least people are getting it rather than having to trawl reams of threads and giving up because they can't find the information they need.

As we say repeatedly, this is a rescue orientated forum. Pet shops don't get their animals from rescue. Yes, some people don't know better in which case it's important to gently give them the facts. I would go as far as to say most members here have been in that boat some point. People need to rant sometimes and that's what the forum is here for, to get like-minded support.

I'm not sure if you understand the point in my post the way i intended it :x

The point i'm trying to make, is if the forum came to some conclusion on a sticky thread thing, that showed a basic outline of the process and steps you should take to report a pet shop then this ranting about shops etc. would actually have a positive outcome and go to use ... Yes go ahead and complain and rant but at least do something about it, basically.

 

[Abigail86]

both my adult girls are from pets at home and there the best behaved piggies i have ever had, my boy how ever came from pets with heart and was bred there , he has had nothing but health issues and now has lumps appearing all over him

i get most of my supplies from pets at home or jollys.

i got my 2 x 4 ft run at pets with heart.

i don't have a problem with them personally i just thing they need educating and spend more time with the animals n less nose etc.

I think what you say is correct why complain here , do somthing about it

 

[LittleEskimo]

McMac was from Pets at Home. Momo was from The Ark.

Rosie I don't know where she came from. And Pebbles was from the adoption section of Pets at Home.


Things just need to be regulated properly. If anything I actually believe that pets shops (back yard breeding stock) shouldn't be allowed to house live stock and only registered breeders should be allowed to sell them. You know, ones with healthy animals, no over/in-breeding, good age for selling, home checks etc.

The main problem with pets shops is the cuteness factor along with impulse buying. A little kid walks in with mummy or daddy and they oo and aww at cute little pigs and bunnies. Next thing you know they impulse buy, get all the wrong facts, tips, housing, feeding, and the animal may (if they are lucky) end up in a rescue by the end of it all.

If only registered breeders were allowed to sell you would have to actually think about whether you wanted one or not. There wouldn't be the cute bunny in the shop window and kiddy wants one for easter factor.


But something tells me we are a long way from that happening.

Also Twiams have you noticed that huge bill board in The Ark where they have bunnies up for adoption?

 

[twiams]

Also Twiams have you noticed that huge bill board in The Ark where they have bunnies up for adoption?

Ooo yeah, the umm lonely hearts or something ? i thought that was quite cute although i don't think it works, more people want a pet right here right now when they go there, they don't want to have to go from there to another place and go through rescue checks :rolleyes
But if at least one rabbit gets a good home thats better than nothing.

I was surprised to see a massive hutch outside the transit way shop, met proper guidelines and was cheaper then one of the other tiny ones, also had a note on it saying it met all regulations for rabbits etc. I felt like emailing them to say I'm glad they actually sell something that big ... just a shame i only saw one ! :x

 

[Ben and Jerry]

I've read quite a few critical postings regarding Pets at Home and I feel as if I should been put in the stocks and have the piggies rotten leftover veg thrown at me because I got my two beautiful boys from them. Does the fact that I ''adopted'' them because one had been ill and successfully treated and the other because they had been together in the store make me any better than those who paid full shop price for theirs? I was told Ben and Jerry were looking for homes for the reasons above and that although they were basically ''free to good home'' I could make a donation to charity if I wanted to. I was naive in the sense that I'd not even thought about rescue centres simply because (and you can hate me for this as well) it was a spur of the moment thing. Having said that I have had gp's before and was aware of the responsibilities involved. I was looking for some company, companionship, someone to love and lavish attention of since I'd had to have my dog put to sleep a year ago. I don't think getting them on impulse or from any particular store makes me a bad person or indeed a bad owner. I am a responsible middle aged woman who knows what she wants and I wanted those piggies! They deserve me and I deserve them.

So please all you 'shop bought piggy' basher's please don't tar us all with the same brush. All our circumstances and even our experiences of a particular shop are as different as the piggies we love.

 

[MrsSuzy]

I don't think I ever saw anyone in this forum bash anyone about a store shop pig. This is a forum though (and a pro-resue one), so people will express their opinions but that is not quite bashing is it?

I think the issue with having a pet store pig is not wether you (I use you in general terms) are going to look after it right or wrong or weather they are or not deserving of love (of course they are). It's not so much about whether a shop seems to look after them well or not, in my opinion. And it's not about feeling guilty either, but being open and accept what it means long term. My first 3 pigs were shop bought. Do I feel guilty? No, I love them to bits. But I realise I did no favours for future guinea pigs. When I went to the shop I saw them in a tiny cage and felt the need to "save them" but now I accept that that empty space was just immediately filled with more pigs, which I will not "save" and who might end up in a terrible place, and so on, and so on. And whoever is breeding this piggies (maybe someone nice but maybe not) will just see that more are wanted and breed more, and so on, and so on.

I think the issue is about finding a long term solution to guinea pig welfare and I believe that involves pet shops not being able to sell animals. Puppies used to be sold in pet stores and years of campaign and education didn't improve their conditions. A ban of selling was needed. Why should it be diferent for other small animals? Animal welfare is animal welfare, no matter what animal it is.

I like the idea of educating pet shops but I don't believe it will work. If you look at stories from guinea pig rescues, lots were abandoned because "child lost interest" , "child wants a rabbit now". Do you believe a pet store will say to people :" beware your young child might get bored of your pet as they live up to 8 years and need proper care such as, etc, etc..." I don't believe for one second they will do that and risk losing a few hundred pounds by having a mum say: "you're right, its a big commitment, we don't want it anymore"

After reading so many horror stories of neglect and abandonment I now decided very strongly to support good and reputable rescues and do not give one pound of my hard earned money to pet shops that sell animals, not matter how nice they look or how pleasant and knowledgable the workers might be. I see the problems beyond that. But I'm also not bashing or judging anyone who does (although will try to convince otherwise )