There is a small pet store near me I go to sometimes that carries products I like. They do have some animals there, but to me they seem MUCH better cared for than the chain stores animals. Am I crazy, or is this possible? Are all pet stores bad? I think this is a much smaller chain than PetSmart or PetCo. They have a few piggies right now that have only been there for a few days. I am not sure where they came from. I do know alot of times people drop off unwanted small pets there. Here is what I see:
1. Enclosures are WAY, WAY bigger than any store or shelter.
2. The one I saw appeared healthy. Clear bright eyes, no
drainage visible anywhere.
3. Clean shiny fur.
4. Plain pelleted food, no junk in it.
5. Poo's looked normal and plentiful.
Is there such a thing as a "good" pet store?
I don't think the problem is necessarily whether or not its a 'good' pet store - I've been to several where the animals are obviously well-cared for, in good health, and the employees are knowledgeable and friendly.
It's more that pet stores get their animals from mills - in the case of a store that doesn't sell cats or dogs but just rodents etc, rodent mills. Even if a store is taking excellent care of their animals, they're still purchasing them from a breeder or sorts, most likely a mill that overbreeds many species of animals.
There are a lot of 'smaller' chains than Petco or Petsmart, and a lot of mom and pop stores that aren't a part of chains at all, but they still have to get their animals from some place - and any good breeder (and I'm speaking more from a general standpoint, or really a rat standpoint here - I don't agree with any sort of guinea pig breeding) won't sell their animals to a pet store, period. So... I think thats the general line that defines a 'good' petstore from a bad - a 'good' one being one that doesn't sell animals, period.
It's more that pet stores get their animals from mills - in the case of a store that doesn't sell cats or dogs but just rodents etc, rodent mills. Even if a store is taking excellent care of their animals, they're still purchasing them from a breeder or sorts, most likely a mill that overbreeds many species of animals.
There are a lot of 'smaller' chains than Petco or Petsmart, and a lot of mom and pop stores that aren't a part of chains at all, but they still have to get their animals from some place - and any good breeder (and I'm speaking more from a general standpoint, or really a rat standpoint here - I don't agree with any sort of guinea pig breeding) won't sell their animals to a pet store, period. So... I think thats the general line that defines a 'good' petstore from a bad - a 'good' one being one that doesn't sell animals, period.
I don't agree with breeding either, at all! People do drop off unwanted pets there, I do know that. What if they were drop offs, and not from breeders? Would that make it ok?
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dgarriques
- Got Pigs?
tiggy, better give up now. No shop that sells (vs adopts) animals is going to be considered good. Rescues do just that rescue and secure the best home possible. Stores no matter how nice, will sell the animal for the price. Then turn around and buy more to replace the one sold. Thus making more $ for their store.
The best pet store is one who DOES NOT sell animals, but does sell high quality pet items, like food, bedding etc. (in my opinion, that is).
The best pet store is one who DOES NOT sell animals, but does sell high quality pet items, like food, bedding etc. (in my opinion, that is).
I know, I was just asking. I admit I was tempted, but they are a pet store. I think a lot of people drop off unwanted pets to stores rather than shelters. That is sad. I just wondered buying drop offs was better than buying from breeders that drop off. I wondered if there was a difference. I think I knew the answer, I just needed to hear it. Thanks! I needed that!
I wasn't going to buy them. I did learn that lesson a few months ago. I just wondered if it made a difference where they came from.
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JennG
- In Memory of Mama
I know that around here people drop off their animals at the petstores (at least GPs) that's how I got Callie. A friend of a friend worked at PetDumb and someone dumped Callie at the store. They can't "resell" her, so they were going to adopt her out. My friend's friend took her instead but eventually had too much going on and I ended up w/ her. I wish the two places here in town would adopt them out but they don't have room for all the dogs & cats let alone the smaller animals. :(
I did not ask where they came from. If it was an adoption, I would have to seriously consider it. I have never seen an adoption sign there, but I just may have to ask that. If they are being sold, I definitely will not get them. The sign just said"arrived on 3/27- on hold". I did not know stores adopted out the drop-offs. I thought they just threw them in a cubbyhole and slapped a for sale sign on it.
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JennG
- In Memory of Mama
Well I'm just speaking from my experience. They're not supposed to resell the animals. I know that I've gone in and have seen signs that say they're adopting them out. I don't think they get any money for them. But I haven't been in that store in a long time, so I'm not sure about it or not. I'm sure if they're in a fairly nice setup, they're for sale. But that's just my 2 cents. I try not to go into the stores because I was tempted (when I first got into piggies) and I was w/ the kids. My middle child fell in love w/ a single girl that was all by herself. My kid broke me down and I ended up buying her. That was almost 3yrs ago and I was VERY lucky that she wasn't pregnant or sick. We don't go in there anymore.
I had that problem in December. I wanted a friend for my one boy who lost his friend. I fell in love with one at a store. I had looked in shelters and on pet finder and did not have luck. I was not so lucky, though. Everything ended up great, but he was very sick and needed lots of vet care and syringe feeding to make him healthy. I fought with the store and got them to pay for the vet bills. Junior is doing great now. It was a month of h@#$, though. I was very stressed and thought many times he was not going to live. It broke my heart. Luckily, it was the total opposite! I won't go back there, either.
No good pet store sells animals. Period. I know some great supply only stores, although I'm still working on getting the to sell Oxbow. There was a pet store associated with one of the vet clinics in my last city, and they had animals available for adoption . These were all owner surrenders, usually pregnant females.
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richardsdm
- All for the Hogs
At AniMall we stopped using one of our supply distributors because we realized that they also "supplied" pets to pet stores. It was scary to realize that I could have ordered 10-20 guinea pigs and they would have arrived with the same shipment as the dog/cat food I ordered. And judging by how poorly stuff is packaged from distributors I would hate to see how many of the pigs would have actually survived and what condition they would have been in.
I have to comment on this one since I'm involved in a rescue in a Petsmart store. The reason why I'm on this bored is because someone dumped a guinea pig in a duffle bag in the store. Naturally they call the rescue that's in the adoption center in the store when that happens.
I don't believe in selling animals in a petstore under any circumstances. However, there's a difference in Petsmart and Petsmart Charities. Petsmart Charities has been very kind in donating litter, supplies, food, a physical location, etc. to our rescue (who adopts out of two of their stores). Without having this as a support there are thousands of cats who would not have found homes or who would have been euthanized. I speak of just the rescue I work with--Petsmart Charities helps across the country.
Now for the other part.... I still don't believe in selling animals, so I don't buy them. I also buy the bulk of my animal supplies from a local independent store that doesn't sell animals. The only time I vary this is for certain things like Carefresh, water bottles, and pigloos because this local store just does not ever carry this kind of stuff. They do sell Oxbow for rats and pigs and I'm beginning to think I'm their biggest buyer of the brand.
I don't believe in selling animals in a petstore under any circumstances. However, there's a difference in Petsmart and Petsmart Charities. Petsmart Charities has been very kind in donating litter, supplies, food, a physical location, etc. to our rescue (who adopts out of two of their stores). Without having this as a support there are thousands of cats who would not have found homes or who would have been euthanized. I speak of just the rescue I work with--Petsmart Charities helps across the country.
Now for the other part.... I still don't believe in selling animals, so I don't buy them. I also buy the bulk of my animal supplies from a local independent store that doesn't sell animals. The only time I vary this is for certain things like Carefresh, water bottles, and pigloos because this local store just does not ever carry this kind of stuff. They do sell Oxbow for rats and pigs and I'm beginning to think I'm their biggest buyer of the brand.
Petsmart charities operates because of Petsmart. It makes them look good. Meanwhile they are still peddling their pet milled animals and the cycle of abuse, neglect and abandonment: http://www.guineapighome.com/Pet_Trade/p2_articleid/3
It was always baffling to my why Petsmart Charities donated so much money to dog and cat rescue when they didn't actually sell dogs and cats. Realistically, all those millions of dollars a year would go to small animal rescues so that they could operate adequately to house the thousands of animals abandoned from Petsmart each year. The same goes for Petco.