Sick beardie at pet store

[KDK241]

I was wondering what do you do when you go to Petco/Petsmart or any other pet store and see a sick beardie? I was at Petco today picking up some dog food and like usual I stopped and looked at the reptiles. They had 2 bearded dragons that were a lot older than the babies they usually carry and one had 2, dime sized yellow spots on his side that looked like yellow fungus. I mentioned it to the cashier because he was the only person I could actually find and he said he would tell someone but who knows.

 

[esn]

You go up to the nearest employee and ask for their manager. You tell the manager that the conditions are unacceptable and the animals are clearly sick, and that you will be reporting them to whatever animal organization you have nearest to you.

Unfortunately, this hardly does a thing to petco or petsmart. They've had so many lawsuits against them in the past years, especially some big class action suits against petco, and nothing is ever done. This is because pet companies like this pay lobbyists to create the laws for animal care in commercial and lab facilities, meaning that they easily escape any reports or lawsuits against them.

If you're lucky, there will be a manager that will actually listen to you that actually cares about animals.

 

[aussiefreak101]

It depends on that store. Petco doesn't have an in-house vet so I can't comment on what they do. At my store we have a vet office inside and when a customer notices something we immediately pull the pet off the floor and take it to the vet. Since we do walk-throughs 2-3x a day there is rarely anything that one of the employees doesn't notice first. Again, it's per store. I have not worked at a Petsmart that hasn't cared so the managers at mine have done a great job at making sure all the animals are taken care of properly, even switching reptile bedding to be carpet to avoid impaction and eye irritation for example.

 

[esn]

It depends on that store. Petco doesn't have an in-house vet so I can't comment on what they do. At my store we have a vet office inside and when a customer notices something we immediately pull the pet off the floor and take it to the vet. Since we do walk-throughs 2-3x a day there is rarely anything that one of the employees doesn't notice first. Again, it's per store. I have not worked at a Petsmart that hasn't cared so the managers at mine have done a great job at making sure all the animals are taken care of properly, even switching reptile bedding to be carpet to avoid impaction and eye irritation for example.

You worked at better petsmarts than the ones in Washington and Oregon. I have been disgusted at the cruelty of Petsmart and their neglect. I've seen dead guinea pigs and animals with severe infections. And they will not do a single thing when informed - just nod and say "mhm, I understand your concern," then leave it without changing a thing. Their in-house vets are a complete joke and the ones around here (I know a few Petsmart workers) google things because they don't know anything about the animals they're working with!

I've also written quite a lot of letters to petsmart and petco about specific locations and managers, no reply. Unsurprising.

 

[battlenation]

I always hate reading these type of topics because there depressing. No hard feelings it's just how I feel I know a pet store as well. that has two adult dragons for sale and one has less then a inch left of tail. The other one is missing some of the tail as well but looks so dirty and thin. I mentioned it to the pet manager before and actually she threw it back at me. If you think you can do better buy him then and have a nice life. I can mention what I said but will get edited or deleted. I made a few phone calls that I found online and nothing were there two weeks ago. You think these stores would have a lot more compassion about the animals they sell. But will always take every dime they can get for them. Even being brand company's like petsmart that do very well with sales. This is why I only go to them if I really have to. Happier saving money by shopping online. It's truely BS and shouldn't be aloud to sell them. I always hope eventually someone will do something to completely fix this on going situation. Glad there are a bunch of members on here that do care and give the lucky ones a good home. Feel sick to my stomach with the ones that I truely feel in my heart that suffer everyday in these stores. I reasonly lost my dog last month and am still heartbroke and been staying away from my home because mainly everything reminds me of him there. I literary feel he's still laying in his spots. I guess I shouldn't went there But when I mentioned the lucky ones well my boy was a lucky one. When you feel the loss of a beloved pet very hard to get another. My silky got day before my boy pasted. So when am at home I give blaze a little to much attention with going outside and just not leaving her alone. This is why how can people at these stores be so heartless and let this go on. It's a shame

 

[Aceyourface]

As someone who has worked for petco I will tell you that things wont be any more effective if you just go up to a manager and start complaining and trying to "educate" them on proper care vs. calmly telling an employee about what you saw. What you need to do is tell an employee you saw a sick animal and show them. They are supposed to let the companion animal specialist know whats going on. If there are none on duty that day then yes tell the manager. And the animal should be assessed, removed and taken to the wellness room where they keep the other sickies until they recover. Then the vet should be contacted ASAP. Petco does not have an in house vet but they work with other vets. However like everyone else Petco also has to wait for an appointment. I can not speak for petsmart I don't know how they do things but most of them have a Banfield in them so I am assuming they get care there. Now keep this in mind. Petco and Petsmart employees are not professional breeders, nor are they veterinarians. Most of them are young adults needing a paycheck. But above all else they are SALES associates and people who make mistakes like the rest of us. They also have almost no say in how the displays and tanks are set up. They can change little things here and there but corporate has the final say in major changes. And because corporate is all about money most of the time employees even managers suggestions get tossed to the side. And yes a lot of them really don't know about every single animal in the store. What do you expect when you walk up to the CASHIER and expect them to know whats causing your beardie to not eat crickets anymore. So many people walk into these stores and expect every employee to be an encyclopedia of knowledge that can answer every question they ever have and leave knowing everything they need to know. Sure in a perfect world maybe but the fact is the company just doesn't put that much effort in to training and most customers should be doing their own research before purchasing a pet anyways. I'm not saying nobody there knows anything. Because there probably are a few experienced owners and specialists working there. I worked with a few. But just think about the workers next time you decide to go lecture them because you feel your an expert now. They have already dealt with difficult customers all day and your just another crazy person who yelled at them during their shift. It's much better for everyone if you keep your cool and just try to talk to them as I dunno PEOPLE. This is not directed at any one member. I am just tired of people complaining about employees when most of the time they don't know any better and are just trying to do their job.

 

[snazzyglasses]

Well said, Aceyourface

 

[LadyMeridius]

Aceyourface, I can not stop applauding you.

 

[Bobbijo2u]

All the reasons I would never work in retail again. I did it as a teen and that time could not end soon enough.... Well said Aceyourface.

 

[Aceyourface]

All the reasons I would never work in retail again. I did it as a teen and that time could not end soon enough.... Well said Aceyourface.

Yeah I've worked in grocery stores pets stores various other retail. But retail is retail and it sucks. Your over worked underpaid and have to deal most of the time with customers who think they are above you so they can be rude and awful because there isn't a dang thing you can do about it. Not saying all customers are. I had some that I loved helping because they were very nice and understanding. But yeah only took me a week of working at petco to know I didn't want to be there too long. And this was actually my second time working for the company. Our turn over at my store was awful too. Litterally 10 people quit or were fired with in a six month time period.