Family Sues PetSmart, Claims Father Died From Contact With Diseased Bird

[NaniOokami]

Chain stores and breeders aren't the only places that sell birds. As far as the little budgie they bought from a pet store? I think I've run into maybe two or three that started off that way.

Ma n' Pop stores and specialty stores do the job where the corporations fail. They DO buy from local breeders, or breed themselves, and hey, that's where my first budgie came from (funny enough, that wasn't even what got me into birds in the first place). Chain stores always looked pretty nasty to me, and the birds rarely seemed tame. The larger chain stores are more of a recent thing, also. I can easily remember the days before Petsmart and Petco.

You can support an animal without selling it live. I don't buy the "the more people are exposed to birds, the more aspiring avian vets there will be." if the exposure is merely a chain pet store. I know I certainly haven't seen any correlation between the two.

[xafsmom]

The problems with most stores buying from local breeders are;


Stores don't want to pay even half what the baby is worth. Example; if a B&G here in Nor Cal sells from a breeder for 1100, a store will only offer the breeder 400 bucks - for a fully socialised baby. A breeder spends a lot of time and care with their breeder stock, then pulls the babies to hand-feed (stores don't take parent raised psittacines) and invests another bunch of time and money into feeding and socialising the chick... they're not going to sell to stores for less than a reasonable amount. There's no profit in it, and if they're careful breeders, they don't like the fact they can't screen their owners first.

Also, stores usually want the babies when they're down to 2 feedings a day. Any decent breeder isn't going to let their unweaned babies go to shops unless they know outright the owner is an experienced hand-feeder and WILL hand-feed them.

3.

[macawlover]

Every Petsmart is different. The one I work at SPOILS their birds more than I do!! There are tons of toys, we give them salads every day, a pellet diet for the conures and tiels, their perches/dishes are cleaned whenever needed, etc. We don't get them from Rainbow, either.
One Petsmart near me (unfortunately it's not the one I work at) doesn't sell birds from breeders at all. Instead, they adopt out birds from our local rescue. I wish my Petsmart did that!

All of our tame birds (tiels through conures, and any budgies that are tame) get attention every day, and usually spend 1-2 hours out of their cages with the employees. We even name all of the tame ones! :P

Oh, and Petsmarts don't buy large birds anymore. We've realized that too many owners realize how much work they are after they purchase the bird, which results in the bird being rehomed. So we only have birds up to the size of conures. We also don't buy unweaned birds. We don't want to risk the baby bird getting hurt if an employee feeds him/her the wrong way.

Call me baised if you want, but I want to assure you that there are many Petsmarts out there that take VERY good care of their birds! I also make sure that potential buyers have all the correct foods/toys/supplies for the right bird.

[Lori~D]

Again. Its not the STORE, The BREEDER, or the Employees - Its the MANAGEMENT. If animals are being kept cruelly it needs to be reported to a humane agent and those who pass by true cruelty and do not report it are equally as cruel. I have seen owners and small breeders of animals crueler than any other. As for PETA? They are the people who would love to make it so NO ONE has an animal in there possesion OR there refridgerator (yes I'm including your dinner in this including your eggs and milk and cheese AND ICE CREAM.
So watch what you promote.
I gave a happy older blind dog to someone and it was Euthanized a week later by a vet who brainwashed her to believe that because the dog had "three strikes" against it.
1. it was a stray
2. it was blind
3. it was older than 10
that it should be Euthanized for its own good. The dog was happy and pain free and learned to use the dog door in two days at my home while being so blind. Come to find out later this same vet is a PETA supporter.

[Lisa B]

Originally Posted by NaniOokami

You can support an animal without selling it live. I .

I can say thats what I am trying to do. I dont sell birds in my store. I have alot of people coming in looking to purchase, and not to get me wrong, I could make alot of money that way....but its not in me.
The people leave with several options from me. In fact, I think I will write down and print out all the info instead of doing it by hand all the time.
They leave with information on rescues, places to adopt, reliable stores, and or breeders. I try to tell them about MAP certification, (see Tina, if you were only closer!!!) and the importance of buying from someone they know.

I also find it very sad about the dog being put to sleep.
I have had several blind and old birds. I would never put them to sleep, as long as they were healthy and eating well. They can adjust with a bit of help.

[loyallyroyal]

Dogs can do very well blind, that is very sad.

I myself have a blind 8 year old rabbit, I switched vets when mine started pushing that what did I want a blind rabbit for, hes old, just put him down. And he gets around very well, still enjoys pets, and is overall just a happy rabbit.

I have a problem with PETA's need to eradicate all pet/domesticated animals and their war against bully breed dogs. Lets just say they dont have my support.

[xafsmom]

Originally Posted by Lisa B

[b] (see Tina, if you were only closer!!!)

Oh, I'd love to move out of California. lol I hate this state.

[TikusMom]

Let me make it clear, too, that Banfield, althought it is located IN Petsmart, is NOT part of Petsmart. They hold a symbiotic relationship, and that is all.

[TikusMom]

Originally Posted by huntress

. As for PETA? They are the people who would love to make it so NO ONE has an animal in there possesion OR there refridgerator (yes I'm including your dinner in this including your eggs and milk and cheese AND ICE CREAM.
So watch what you promote.

LOL! Yes, and these wack jobs are now in full swing trying to promote....are you ready for this?.....Ice cream made strictly from human milk!!!! Say it with me now....EWWWWW! but since people are animals too...or so they say....wouldn't that just be exploiting yet another animal?????? And what about the poor plants that can't even run or defend themselves? How COULD we just go out and cut down innocent corn stalks or pluck those defenseless apples and ....gulp!....EAT THEM!? Oh the HORROR! ROFLMAO!

[macawlover]

Originally Posted by tikusmom

lol! Yes, and these wack jobs are now in full swing trying to promote....are you ready for this?.....ice cream made strictly from human milk!!!! Say it with me now....ewwwww! But since people are animals too...or so they say....wouldn't that just be exploiting yet another animal?????? And what about the poor plants that can't even run or defend themselves? How could we just go out and cut down innocent corn stalks or pluck those defenseless apples and ....gulp!....eat them!? Oh the horror! Roflmao!

ewwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!