pet store opinions

[DobieDober]

What do you guys think of pet stores? I went in one about a month ago in a mall (and I think mall pet stores must be the worst). Well this place smelled funny to start with. Then I was looking at the parakeets which were in a big square enclosure with no top over it. I really don't know why the things didn't just fly out...parakeets can fly, I thought. There were maybe 30-40 birds in this 4x4 foot square thing. After I stood there a while, I realized there were three (count em THREE) dead birds in there. They'd been dead so long that the other birds were eating them. You could even see the bones on one of them.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had to tell the workers about them, they didn't have a clue any birds were dead.

Do they not even look from time to time????

[magtie]

i wold never buy a dog from a pet store, no matter where they say they got it

[Beth E]

Just terrible. I would have called your local animal rights group.

I think one of the worst things about pets stores can be the people that work there. In my own experience, at our local pet store, there are so many people that work there that have to clue about animals. Many people put a lot of trust, for what ever reason, in the people that work at these stores.

[DobieDober]

Yeah I think you're right, Beth. Seems like most workers in the pet stores are just there for the job, not for the love of the animals, you know? It's sad for those animals.

You really think I should have called the animal rights group? It was just a couple months ago that I saw that, should I still call them?

[BlastFromthePast]

That's disgusting. I think I would have gotten physically ill if I had seen that. It's bad enough to see dead and rotting fish in the tanks at Wal Mart, but dead birds is too much. A place like that should be shut down.

[Rich S]

The fact that they didn't even know there were dead birds in the cage is a scary thought. Makes me wonder how the other animals are treated there.

[FancyFace]

How awful, Dobie! I'm so sorry for those animals. I'm not sure what the laws in your area are, but it seems that some kind of law or ordinance has been broken.

[Kimbertalkls]

I have seen some terrible pets stores like that too. We have a few good ones in the area like Diane's near Pottstown. They rehome any pets they have sold that get returned and although they sell puppies and kittens they are usually local litters, not high priced purebreds. All pups and kittens leave with a coupon for free or reduced neutering at a list of vets. Many petstores are limited in the selection of pets they sell because breeders will not sell them a puppy so they get them from the sources who will deal with them. Anne

[jelly8bean]

Any pet store that sells dogs is to be completely avoided in my opinion. The only way they get the animals is from Puppy mills and I will not support that activity nor any of the pet stores that keep the puppy mills in business. Local litters are still puppy mills and if the breeder doesn't want to screen the folks who get the dogs, why breed? They are only in it for the money. The SPCA is full of puppies and kittens from week to week if you don't need a registered dog. I have 3 purebreds dogs, all rescues. Breed rescues can get you what you are looking for if you have a real preference. Reputable breeders are available for show dogs, and that is the only reason I can think of to go a "registered" route. Just don't go there if they sell dogs or cats, with the best owners intentions they are supporting the worst possible thing for animals. Period!

[Kimbertalkls]

I don't want to start an argument, just another point of view here.... I know our local SPCAs have a waiting list for puppies, and it is months for a small breed puppy. They do get some older dogs but the one my mother in law just got is very food aggressive, still marking territory despite neutering and has had two seizures in the first three months. She does not want to see him put down but really would hesitate adopting an adult again. If a pet store is informing buyers about the breeds they are selling, keeping up on the puppies shots and health issues and buying the best local puppies they can find I do not think they should be totally avoided. Some SPCAs like North Shore Animal rescues transport puppies up from down south or even fly SATOS in from Puerto Rico and they can have some issues too. I have never gotten a dog from a humane society that did not have kennel cough... one had heart worm. The answer is not black and white but what in life is. Yes, there are good and bad rescues, pet stores, boarding kennels and any other thing we can think of so don't write them off.

[VonDoom]

On top of everything else wrong with large chain style pet store. Chances are if you purchase a purebred pup, it wont be to likely that you get the proper paperwork. and most likely the paperwork that you do get wont even be your dogs and also theres a good chance it might not even be from the same litter.

we have a small local store that only sell mixed breed pups, that have been given up to the store for placement. They will sell to anybody with a check book but they actualy refund 100% of the purchase price after proof is provided the pet has been altered.

[jelly8bean]

I will tell you very clearly that no reputable breeder will sell to a pet store. As such you are getting puppies from back yard breeders who are only in it for the $$ and not for the dogs or the breed. There is no watch out for the parents of those puppies, and that is what makes for puppy mills. The bitch is typically used to pump out puppies till she dies, and typically kept in appauling conditions. The puppies may or may not have issues with health or temperment due to the inbreding that goes on. No Pet Store will ever have my $$. I have rescued/adopted 6 dogs to date (not all at once) and have never had any health issues with them. Some rescues may not be as good on health issues as the 4 I have had dealings with from the gulf to the mid-atlantic, or maybe I was just lucky. But I will go rescue anytime.

[apollo]

I don't like going to the mall at all but when my kids go with us we have to go in the pet shop and it is the most god awful smelling place. Don't know how you could work there or buy a pet there. a few years ago I asked an emplyee how much it would cost for a dobe (trust me, just curious I would never ever buy a anything from there) she said $2,000, I said "Is that with or without the sickness?" To which she said "all of our pets are vet checked." Where did he get his licenses from? Come on.