PetCo animosity

[ElvinMelvin]

My close friend used to be the small animal caretaker at the petco near me.  She worked there for about 3 years and did an excellent job.  Rarely any sick rats, all friendly, went to the vet for any small thing.  She left to another store and I was litterally sickened at what happened.  I had not been to the store in about a year and just went back there 2 weeks ago.  All of the fancy rats were sneezy and there hair was kind of dissapearing....they were not any kind of hairless.  One of the girls was the cutest little black dumbo that I wanted to take home so badly.  unfortunately he seemed to be sicker than the others.  In the feeder bin there were 4 rats with head tilt and porphyrin all over there faces.  To test the lady that worked back there I asked her what kind of bedding and what cage I should buy for two rats.  She suggested a small cage and some pine bedding.  I went home and used the cage calculator.  The cage she suggested for 2 rats only had space for .54 rats.  How can the company let them get away with this kind of stuff?  I took this survey thing that was printed out on my receipt and let them know how upset I was about the living conditions of their small animals.  I also called the store and spoke with the manager, but I don't think  they took me very seriously.  I will be contacting their corporate office if this issue is not resolved.  Things like this make me so angry and I have vowed never to shop there again.

[Sugarfoxx]

Anyone can simply check PETA.COM and see what they say about Petco!  They dont seem to like petsmart much either!

[Marybelle]

Anyone can simply check PETA.COM and see what they say about Petco!  They dont seem to like petsmart much either!

Petsmart generally takes better care of their animals than Petco, but they still get from rat mills, so they're not an ideal place to shop, either....

[Corrina]

Of course, there are different Petcos. Mine is one of them. They REFUSE to sell feeders. All sexes are kept separate. Each rat is on carefresh and given lab blocks. The lady who works there has owned 50 rats in her house and is a rat lover. Of course, I'm not impressed with the way they keep their reptiles. My crested gecko was housed on sand, yes sand, and got impacted because of it. Leopard geckos were also housed on sand, which, contrary to popular belief, is not naturally lived on by them in the wild. They normally live on rocks in the wild. Because of this, so many get impacted as well.

[wildjasmine]

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr your story made me so angry  i never ever buy from pet shops now i get rescued rats but i think if i went into that shop i think i would of bought all those little ones from the feeder bins i cant believe that they sell live rats to feeders grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr i have never come across this before something really needs to be done with pet shops like this they just seem to care or know anything about thier animals they are selling

[Adventure Rats]

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr your story made me so angry  i never ever buy from pet shops now i get rescued rats but i think if i went into that shop i think i would of bought all those little ones from the feeder bins i cant believe that they sell live rats to feeders grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr i have never come across this before something really needs to be done with pet shops like this they just seem to care or know anything about thier animals they are selling

From your intro post I'm assuming your from the UK? Well you guys are much more advanced and do NOT allow live feeding. I can only hope and pray that we get there one day very soon.

Here's my PetCo story for ya. It's from another post on another forum. I'm too lazy and in a rush to retype and get the same words out so I'm copying and pasting.

Last I was at DeathCo, I had a talk with the manager about the baby rats. Many of them where very sick and needing medical attention. Of course he said they would get vet care but I doubt it. I couldn't leave however with out speaking up.

The time before that I was desperate, I had a rescue Mom die and leave me with 11 8 day old babies. The manager at a DeathCo said OK you can have a Mom if you take all the babies with her. I was willing to do so, then he suddenly changed his mind. Told me "oh well if those babies die, not my problem is it".

That was it for me with DeathCo. As far as I'm concerned if you shop, or even step foot in a DeathCo you are supporting ALL of them. The good right along with the bad. Do you think as whole they are a good and loving company, I think NOT. If they where they wouldn't have all the legal problems they have now.

I live in San Diego and I will NEVER EVER go to baseball game again in this city, no way will I step foot in DeathCo Park.

OH come on! I WORK at Petco! There is NOTHING wrong with the store. And FYI we do separate the sexes. I would know because I had to change the set up the other day, and that took me 7 hours! 
I am the main person who looks over the small animals. (clean, change food, change water, ordering etc) I handle the rats at least 3 times a day. The rats are super, super sweet. Even the feeders.
They take great care of there sick animals too. (I look over them most of the time too) I was trained to take care of all the animals, but they saw that I know so much about small animals that they decided to make the the small animals specialist. I've owned small animals since I was 9 Years old.
Obviously very few of you have seen the "good" petcos.  I personally do not shop at Petsmart due to issues I have with the stores I've gone to. (I've visited at least 6 Petsmart. In CT and various parts of FL)
I love my job. I can bet money that if all of you went to the Petco I work at you would have a WHOLE other view on Petco.

::KeE

Maybe at your store, but as I said in my post above when you support even a good PetCo you support the bad too. Not to mention you've taken the job AFTER the major lawsuites which cost PetCo MILLIONS of dollars and they are under a heavy eye right now and MUST be better. So your experience at your store doesn't make up for all the years of horror most of us have seen.

[wildjasmine]

From your intro post I'm assuming your from the UK? Well you guys are much more advanced and do NOT allow live feeding. I can only hope and pray that we get there one day very soon.


yes i am from the uk and it was banned along time ago for any pet shop to sell live feeders only frozern pinkys ones that are descretly hidden away even that feels me with sadness...i do hope so as well that the law changes for you because these rats make such wonderful pets and it seems these poor little sick ones are discarded just like rubbish 

[phatratt]

The ignorance of the staff of an Atlanta area Petco brought me my first two rats. If they had known the difference between males and females, a first time rat mom in Atlanta wouldn't have unknowingly bought a pair of pregnant females, only to be surprised by two litters before she was ready for it.  Two little girls from one of the litters became my Flo and Jackie.  So I owe it all to the fact that Petco is clueless.

[fearlessella]

I suggest you do a search on the site to get the full story.

Here are the highlowlights:

1.Their primary purpose for selling rodents is feeders.
2.They promote live feeding.
3.They don't separate sexes. Consequently most of the females are pregnant.
4.They buy from disreputable animal mills.
5.Many of their animals are sick.
6.They promote the use of pine and cedar.

1.  The Petco in my town sells only certain breeds for feeders.
2.  ?? No clue on this one
3.  The Petco here separated males & females.
4.  Agree.
5.  Agree.
5.  Mine promotes Carefresh!

I agree that Petco is a horrible place to buy anything.  My first rat died a week after I got her.  But had to clear up that not all Petco's are the way you say.  Chelsea

[Grace Jr]

OH come on! I WORK at Petco! There is NOTHING wrong with the store.

I'm sorry, but I've got to disagree here...  If there was nothing wrong with PetCo, why did I wind up losing 3 of my babies this summer to an SDA outbreak that originated at PetCo??  Why did we have two litters come to the shelter, because a woman bought two females there and wound up with surprise litters??


Just because ONE store is good, doesn't make up for years of wrongdoing and a vast majority of stores still not meeting guidelines.  Even if you shop at the 'good' stores, and ignore the 'bad' ones, you're still giving PetCo your money.  You're still supporting mill breeding and irresponsible petcare.  You're still supporting the ENTIRE company, good stores and bad.  Good practices and bad ones.  I'm sorry, but why would I want to shop there (regardless of how 'good'), after losing my babies this summer, knowing they were the cause?

[menagerie]

I suggest you do a search on the site to get the full story.

Here are the highlowlights:

1.Their primary purpose for selling rodents is feeders.
2.They promote live feeding.
3.They don't separate sexes. Consequently most of the females are pregnant.
4.They buy from disreputable animal mills.
5.Many of their animals are sick.
6.They promote the use of pine and cedar.

1.  The Petco in my town sells only certain breeds for feeders.

This lost me, what certain breed do they sell for feeders? There is only one breed of rattus norvegicus, different colors and markings don't make them a different breed. Why would you think that it is ok for a certain "breed" to be feeders?

[ShadowWolf]

Perhaps it was meant to be select colors?  I know that I've spotted himis and other light color points in their feeder bin.  Got the associate to move 'em to the 'Fancy' area too.    

To each their own opinion.  I personally only stop in to check on the beasties and occasionally buy Nylabones for the dog and ratties.  I do, however, support the one local petstore who utterly refuses to sell live animals.  They also promote the feeding of frozen for snakes since the owner had a snake come to him that had been attacked by a rat.  It was not a pretty sight!

Amanda

[SqueakinJellybeans]

Greets!

     I'm in Ontario, Canada, and my area doesn't have a PetCo. One of the best large stores I've seen is SuperPet. I still won't buy critters from them, but the animals are very well cared for, clean, and all come with care instructions. The birds have room to move around and get playtime in a nursery room where the public can watch the employees working with them and getting them hand-friendly; the small animals are separated by gender and are kept on clean bedding (I don't remember what kind, it's been a while since I was there since the store is in a nearby city), and the staff are knowledgeable and seem to genuinely care about their animals.

     I've had more problems with some of the smaller pet shops in the area-- dirty cages, mixed sexes, small cages, and occasionally empty food or water dishes. I've offered to volunteer there in the past and been turned down. I had to badger them for months before they put the small animals on aspen.

SqueakinJellybeans

[Sugarfoxx]

Our Petsmarts here are fairly decent.   Each store sells only one sex of each animal.   For example, the one in Pineville sells only MALES as in male rats, mice, cavy, hammies etc....and the one in Matthews sells all FEMALES.  They use carefresh also but not because of the dangers of pine and cedar, but because its not as messy as the others.  I was told that at just about every Petsmart.  I simply asked them what kind of litter they prefer and they said "Oh its all good!" When I asked why they use carefresh in their tanks I was told at three of the locations that they are not trying to promote the use of strictly carefresh since all the brands they sell are "good" but its not as messy when cleaning tanks.
Ah huh.
So that shot down my theory that they FINALLY AGREE that pine and cedar or dangerous.

I also see orange slices in the male rats tanks.  I have pulled aside the employees numerous times explaining the dangers of citrus in males.  Of course they thank me and say they will tell their manager etc...but they still get oranges every single day I am told. Its part of their daily diet.

They also INSIST on keeping their water bottles hung so dang low.  I asked once how they expect the animal to drink? Lay upside down under the spout?

Nothing has been done about that either.

I was asked to leave one petstore a while back...oh...yeah....I told you that story before.  Never mind....

[trubandloki]

Anyone can simply check PETA.COM and see what they say about Petco! They dont seem to like petsmart much either!

Well, in defense of the Petsmart near me (Brockport, NY)...................... (I know nothing about any other Petsmart, this is the only one I shop at)

They have an arrangement with the Monroe County Humane Society (Lollypop farm) and ALL the animals 'for sale' in this Petsmart are not really for sale, they up for adoption from the humane society.  Petsmart provides the floor space and I believe even the small animal cages (I believe the dog and cat Kennels came from the humane society as left overs after their renovation) and I'm guessing even the food and bedding, etc. 
The adoptions are done thru humane society employees/volunteers. 
(they sometimes have horses available from a horse rescue that is not associated with the humane society.)

So, before we shun all the stores, check to make sure none of the stores in your area do the same thing.

[Adventure Rats]

I just an e-mail from a friend who's friend found a baby mouse. This person called PetCo and this is what they said

She even called Petco, who told her the kindest thing would be to put it in the freezer.

Ok, Yeah PetCo is really changing their ways.

[KittyRat]

Today, I'm going to a local PetCo to apply for a job.
The new manager asked me to go because he's seen me in there with my animals, and has also seen me stand around in the small animal section giving people advice.
The old manager along with much of the staff were fired because of mistreating of the animals. This new guy wants to NOT sell live feeders, regardless of what "upper management" tells him. He says it's cruel. I agree.
I told him rats need socialization, he said he had no idea they could make such great pets, but wants to learn!! imagine that!
I have to go through all the proper channels, but I have a feeling i'll have no problem getting accepted for this job. it'll be better pay, better benefits, and it'll give me the chance to make a difference. If something goes sour, I can always quit, and lodge a worker's complaint with company HQ. they seem to listen to those.

[wildjasmine]

The problem is also with there supplier, check this out: http://petcosucks.com/

OH MY GOD i have gone to the web link and i was in tears over suzys story i just cannot believe how barbaric these chains of petco are  ....i know over here in the uk we do have rat farms who sole purpose is to breed for pet shops but they are far and few between thank god and our pet shops arnt to bad maybe a couple need to be closed down..i myself never buy from petshops now as there are to many ratbags in rescuse centres wanting a forever home...i do really really hope that maybe one day this kind of cruelty will end