Pet Store Responds to Complaints - Page 3

RachelS. · 05-23-03, 11:16 PM

Hell yes, Mike, you shoulda know that selling herps like retics, burms, or ANY from the morelia family or a boa like that is dangerous!!! Unless it's a reptile special shop, I would complain!

Lisa · 05-23-03, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike177
ya there is a pet store near my house that is accualy pretty good at keeping there anamals in good condition. excep keeping them is small cages. the only reson i complain (other then there HUGE price mark up) is that they will sell the ocational burm, retic, or emerald tree boa. do you think it is right to sell these anamals in a small local pet shop?

I don't have a problem with it as long as they let buyer's know what the animal will be like.

Samba · 05-24-03, 05:50 AM

Did someone say BEER?!?!?! LOL =D

Mike, I have to agree with you on this one. If anyone should be selling large onstrictors, let the specialty shops do it. Burms and Retics shouldn't be sold casually and I'll tell you why. Not only do they grow to a pretty unmanagable size, the average captive constrictor goes through about three or four homes. I can't remember were I read this statistic but it is reason enough for me.

Let the mom-n-pop pet stores sell the garters, corns and kings, leave the big guys to people who know what they're dealing with. Now, some might argue that if the store management, or owners let the buyers know what they are getting into the problem will be fixed. Not true. A shop here in Albuquerque, (a specialty shop, I might add), has adult snakes on hand for display to discourage the buying of burms and retics. The reason for this is that some people just don't realize how HEAVY or STRONG an 8 foot snake can be, let a lone a 20 foot one! Snakes as large as these shouldn't be sold as casual pets, and let me tell you... I wouldn't own one right now if he weren't a rescue.

Large constrictors do make great pets, and I have an infinite fondness for them; BUT, like iguanas, too many of them out there find themselves homeless, and 9 times out of 10 it's because of their size. Enough said.

jpaulson · 05-24-03, 09:52 AM

I have been away on business for a week, so I am trying to get caught up with everything--forgive me if some of my comments here were already spoken.

Samba, congrats go to you for the efforts you are putting forth. They are truly needed in this field of hobby. Although I did not read word for word of your posts, I did see something about getting employed there. I hope that you at some point insist on payment for what you are doing. Although it may not be a big deal to you, if these stores learn that they can get free help, then they will not try to change the way they do business.

I saw that Nightcrawler has been banned--good job!! Even saying yes or no to a particular store would of been wrong. These stores are often times owned by franchisees--therefore it is THEIR business--not corporate. Although as a franchisee you are required to abide by corporate rules, many find loop holes in the system. It also must be pointed out that not all of any given store chains keep such uninformed and deplorable conditions. By speaking the name of one or two stores that may be this horrid, it hurts ALL of them, including the ones that truly care for their animals.

The real problem here is that most of these store chains do not cater to the reptile hobbyist as much as they should. Business-wise, most of their room is catered to dogs and cats, as they are the most popular pets in trade now. Usually, there is only one or two isles for reptile supplies, and very few live pets. Until the need for more space is expressed and shown to be a good business decision, these problems will continue. We can do our part by mentioning this every time we go there. If they have 50 people a week asking for reptiles, they are more apt to do something versus 5 people a week. With higher demand comes more skilled employees in reptiles. The reptiles are taken better care of, we have more choices in where we do business, and the stores make money. All in all, everyone wins!!

Samba · 05-24-03, 07:39 PM

Jpaulson- thanks for the words of encouragement! As for being employed there, I have tried, time and again (for 3 yrs.) to get a job there to no avail. If it comes to it, I will assist them free of charge; I'm not in this for the money. (It would be a nice bonus though since I am currently a full-time, unemployed student trying to validate her federal non-profit status!) I recieved no offers the other day, but I plan to keep trying.

I won't have an update to give you guys until Tues. (I'm making a surprise appearance!) and I will be sending another letter to the coorporate office letting them know how this particular store is doing. I swear if I find one animal back on display that isn't already doing better I'll keep complaining until something is done, and this time I'll call humane animal services. Keep up your words of support, and if anyone else is making a difference I wanna hear about it! Check in on Tues. and I'll tell you what I've found! Thanks again guys, you all are wonderful!

Samba · 05-26-03, 07:03 PM

LOOK AT THIS!!!! I just found this website surfing around (I was bored, eh) Anyways, so Jeff doesn't have a heart attack ( =D ) I'm not going to say ANYTHING about the CHAIN mentioned in this article, but please read it. It's so heartbreaking. =(

http://petstoreabuse.tripod.com/crypto.html

ThEmAdHaTtEr · 05-26-03, 07:09 PM

OMG, thats so sad. Look at how skinny those tails are...Man I dunno what to say..I feel really really bad for those geckos and immediate actions are needed for that bug before it takes hundreds of lives.

Samba · 05-26-03, 08:00 PM

It already has. Worse yet, I found out this can be transmitted to humans and other pets as well. Like I said before, I won't say anything about this chain, but grrrrrrrr. Let's just say I now know I'm not the only person who has seen these problems. I had NO IDEA all this was going on outside of my situation. In the future, I'd like to post pictures here of what I've seen. According the laws stated in the article (I still have to check for my state), if you are photographing areas inside a store that are not banned or roped off from the public, picture-taking and publishing are completely legal. And I will do just that, if nobody has objections. This is complete and total B^!!$#*T!!!!! 'Scuse my un-ladylike language, but all this new info is SHOCKING and DISTRESSING!!!!

There is a petition on this site. SIGN IT! NOW!!!

yankeefoxtrot · 05-26-03, 08:17 PM

I agree i was at the store today (petco) buying pinkeys and i saw some kid buyin a burm believe it or not. All i could think about is how long it would take for him to realize that he cant take care of it when its pushes 17 feet. Another add in the newspaper for a big biod. SAD!!!!! makes me mad

Lucas out

Chris Steele · 05-26-03, 09:53 PM

Heat rocks are very dangerous for snakes right? well I was in a pet store and noticed a boa lying on a huge heat rock. I went and told the manager that he should take the rock out and that its dangerous...I thought he would kill me, he was pissed off. It could have been that I am only 15 and that insulted him. He refused to take it out...but I hope he did after I left and just didnt want me to know he took my advice (being only 15). I havent been back...It is an hours drive away from me.

Samba · 05-27-03, 10:18 PM

Chris... heat rocks generally are not recommended for several reasons, including that it could possibly burn an animal if it malfunctions. Most don't have any kind of temp control, and some have been reported to start fires. I hope this guy did take your advice, there are so many more efficient and safe methods of providing reptiles with heat.

I'm sorry to disappoint you guys, but I will be updating on the pet store very shortly (I've just had 'one of those days'). I will try to update tomorrow. I did receive another response from the coorporate headquarters in regards to the conditions, but sadly all she had to say was something to the effect of ... 'sorry our stores aren't up to your standards'. The audacity!!!!! All I'm asking from them is that they take BASIC, PROPER care of their animals; not treat them like kings and queens!!!! (Although that wouldn't be so bad, would it?) Write ya'll later, it's sleepy time for me... =/

jpaulson · 05-27-03, 11:02 PM

yankeefoxtrot,

Before jumping to conclusions, do you know all the details about the boy purchasing the burm? Keep in mind that the kid's parents could of been there, already acknowledging the responsibilities. There also is the chance that the employee could of been trying to talk him out of it. Just some thoughts.......

I personally do not like the use of the actual names of the stores that someone is talking about. There could be times where what we perceive is not the truth, and could therefore slander the reputation of said store. It is always best to avoid using actual names, to keep everyone fair and keep the lawyers at bay.