The Pet Pros

[sophiemae]

I took Caden to a pet store down the street from me today. It's a small chain store here in the Valley with about 5 stores all together. I've never really liked going in there as I feel the birds could be better taken care of and the puppies aren't cleaned up after as they should be. I hadn't been in there in quite awhile and Caden wanted to go see the puppies today and it's the only pet store that has them around here. I know I could take him to the shelter, but knowing me I would bring a pup home and never hear the end of it so I keep away from the shelter. When we are ready for another dog then I'll walk through the shelter doors. I know I'm safe at the pet store because I refuse to pay such a high price for a dog that most likely came from a puppy mill. So anyways, I take him there so he can look around at all the animals and fish, he loves animals so I do it for him knowing I'm gonna walk away angry. This time was no different only I was more upset than ever before with this pet store. Immediately we are hit with the overwhelming smell of dog poo, and not just the someone just went smell but a poo has been hanging around and the dogs have it on them as well smell. I worked in a mall pet store as a teenager and never once did the store smell like this one did. We always made sure #1's and #2's were cleaned up right away, so I feel there is no excuse for any pet store to smell that way. The birds are kept in the middle of the store, not a quite area at all, people are free to poke and prod at them. I was appalled at what I saw. In one cage there was a Goffins, CAG, and Double Yellow Headed Amazon, of course the cage wasn't big enough for all three and what little toys they had were old, faded and poorly constructed  tickedoff.gif Then in the next cage there was a Nanday Conure and a Sennie, same scenario there as the other three. One cage remained standing empty...which ticked me off even more. Finally the straw that broke the camels back, four, yes that's right 4 Macaws in one cage! Two B&G and 2 Greenwing. The cage was so small for them all that they were having to climb on top of each other just to get food, there were only 2 food bowl for 4 birds!  tickedoff.gif They were a mess feather wise and obviously stressed. Had I had the money I would have taken each and every bird out of that horrible place, even all 30 or so budgies living community style in this big round glass pen sort of thing. Of course had I done that it would just prompt the store to stock it with more parrots to be poorly housed and treated, a double edged sword either way you look at it. I wanted so badly to speak my mind but I kept my mouth shut. Having Caden with me I did not want him to see his mommies eyes turn red in anger and her voice sound like something he had never heard before, plus they probably would have had to call the police to escort me out of that place with being as mad as I was. I know if I call the SPCA they can't do anything as the birds do have shelter and food, which surprisingly consisted of Zupreem and fresh veggies. But I am wondering if they would do anything about the over crowding in cages  :-\ Places like this just make me so mad and I get even madder knowing that most people who don't know about the proper way to care for parrots would think it's perfectly ok to house them in over crowded conditions like that. I wonder if I can get away with a jail break  :-\

[Erithacus]

Each time I entered a pet shop, I sympathized with the fids having to live in cramped cages and in filthy condition. And also the poop trays had not been washed for quite sometime.

[NH Bird Mom]

We have one like that not to far from here. They are always having a "puppy sale".   I refuse to go in there even for bird supplies-I go the extra 5 miles or so to Petco.  There should be something that can be done about these places but the SPCA doesn't seem to be able to do anything about them.  tickedoff.gif  (I think I will try one more time...)

[angelicarboreals]

I totally understand where you are coming from, I have walked out of stores before with tears in my eyes and it hurts all the more because you cannot save them all. Seeing stores like that makes me want to shake the owner silly.

[macawlover2]

That's surprising how the pet store owner knew enough to give the birds a good diet, yet crowded them in cages to the point wher they could barely move. And to have an empty cage! They could've used that! The manager would hear no end if it was me at that store.  knuppel2.gif